The Traveling Hero Won’t Let the Innkeeper’s Son Escape

In an unflashy but luxurious house, a man leans slowly in the cup as he sits on his chair. The beverage served with awkward skill should never taste good, but the man didn't look very concerned. But the boy's face, who stands still with the basin on his side, is distracted. He looked like he was worried about where to buy a man's discomfort and get killed.

The door of a house with such tension is knocked. Though he shook his body victoriously at the sound, the reacting boy turned his gaze to the man to see if he could leave.

"Open it."

To the man's short words the boy rushes to run to the door. Taking the handle of the door, which was too close to the Lord for a luxurious house, he invited those who were pulling inward and outward.

"Wow, the door opened on its own………"

The voice of a slightly sweet young man echoes into the house. I can't see that coming from the boy who was grabbing and pulling the door with both hands, but he seemed to be a familiar guest and the man's face is soft on the man's expression.

"That's a borough stew. I thought it was time for you to come."

"Good morning, Mr. Wonock. Thank you for your help with that verse............ or what about the first voice being that......?

The young man comes inside with a frightened voice. Man - Wonok, the owner of the house, didn't look alert, and put the cup he had on the table that was on his side.

"What, yeah!? Wait a minute, what's going on in this house?

"What is it?

"No. 'What?' Cause even though it's the same abandoned house style out there, the house isn't getting very luxurious!? Until two weeks ago, it almost collapsed inside."

The young man who came in holding the torso pan has a surprising look at the luxurious interior that is chic but out of step.

"I used to hide my powers. I was just doing some illusion to make it look like a Borough family. It's been like this for a long time."

"... even with a hole in the house, that's why you looked fine.... my concern was completely empty."

The young man sighed deeply as he was frightened by Wonok's words and actions.

"Ruth, give me the pan faster than that"

"Yes, yes…………………………."

The brunette young man, known as Ruth, placed the dimpled torso pan he had on a table on Wonok's side. Opening the lid reveals that it is a dish that can be made from the spread of hot air. The boy who saw it rushed to the back of the room to pick up a spoon and a plate.

"Still, why did you solve the illusion now?

"You already know my powers, then it wouldn't be a problem to show them. … and it's a pain in the ass to talk to a borough shop"

"... absolutely the last one is for real, isn't it? But did you undo your appearance?

"A lot of people can threaten to look like that."

Wonok's figure is back to the original silver hair blonde who came to the village. Because there are villagers who flee out of fear that it is a dark-haired red-eyed atmosphere, they made the decision that a dolled face would be better if they continued to live in the village.

"But since we've all seen it that day, you know what Wonok contains……………"

"Few people, like you, don't even care about that look. As a result of my consideration."

"... the real thing isn't a pain in the ass to be threatened, is it?

"Saana."

Ruth was sighing again as the boy returned to his room.

Unlike the bright tone of his voice, Ruth's face drifts somewhere. The way lustrous dark hair hit white cheeks and blue shining eyes were hidden with long lashes had an atmosphere that made me want to rush over unexpectedly.

"Speaking of which, it's Julia………………"

"Julia?"

"Mr. Herald's lover, his father's former fellow adventurer, is a Lapi woman who was forced to replace her with that melting demon and disappeared."

"Oh… there you are. What's wrong with him?

"Be there... They found him in the Queen's Capital. You think he slept in the hospital without knowing his name because he was unconscious about everything? By the time Mr. Herald found it, his consciousness seemed to have recovered. He said you two went straight back to the country."

"Oh, you know more."

"... I knew someone in Wang Du who was an exchange of letters, and when I entrusted a letter to the knight of Zeju escort, he replied with an early horse. It's amazing how rich you are... early horses are pretty expensive."

"I see...... Spoon"

When Wonok offers his right hand, a beautifully polished silver spoon is placed without getting his hair in between. Seeing the movement, Ruth's gaze poured next to Wonok.

Ruth looked more surprised than she had just seen the boy there.

"Eh... uh, Mr. Wonok... who is this child?

"Ah?"

Wonok, already spooned directly into the torso pan, follows Ruth's gaze as he carries the stew to his mouth. So for the first time, I realized that Ruth was surprised by the look of the boy standing next to him.

"Oh, it's been a long time since you've been in this house, so it's your first meeting. This guy is like my servant. Do me a favor."

"Tell him to do me a favor... isn't this kid a kid!? Where did you bring him from?

"Picked it up."

"I picked it up...... YES!?

Ruth can't hide his surprise from Wonok, who cares less about his stew. The boy gently hid the plate he had in one hand behind his back, looking at both of them like that.

"No way you've been grabbing me or something!?

"You can't do that to me. He was falling and he was dying, so he just picked it up."

"It's not a thing, so stop being such a good person. So, do you mean an orphan?

"Well, that's the place."

Wonok carries a borough stew into his mouth as he replies in a terrible way. He doesn't seem to be so offended not to just ignore it.

"You said you were a servant earlier, right? You mean you hired this kid?

"Oh. Instead of offering clothing and accommodation at the behest of my fellow countrymen, I decided to let them help me stay comfortable. Wouldn't that be a problem?

"By compatriot, I mean this child is a demon...... well, I think Mr. Wonok should have someone to look after him................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"What is it now?

Ruth glanced at Giroli and Wonok as he pulled the boy's body out in front of his own eyes.

"Aren't you just tying this kid's clothes, cloth! I'm not wearing shoes, and my hair is blurry! I'm taking good care of you!?

The boy's hair was as bumpy as it had been left to wash. Her face is still dirty from cleaning and her feet are slightly dirty without shoes. And the clothes were just tied with a string at the back of his waist with a cloth that crept through the head area, as Ruth said. Not a wealthy village far from Wang capital, but no inhabitant looks just like this.

"It's not cold in the house, and even if you're not wearing shoes, you won't get hurt. Besides, the clothes didn't come in the right size, so there's no choice. Better than naked, right?

"It's not about the better or anything like that. From this feeling, even though he's a Demon, he's the right age, isn't he? Then this kind of thing is called abuse - neglect!

"Neglig?

To Ruth's unusual words, Wonok, an intellect, tilts his neck. When I saw the face, Ruth said it was gone. When I pulled the face, I changed the subject as if in a hurry.

"Anyway, I'm not sure we're offering this kind of clothing and accommodation. If you're going to let such a young boy take care of himself, give him proper clothes and teach him how to live."

Ruth reaches out for a lid on Wonok's pan that keeps the conversation going while he eats. Wonok, who grabbed that hand, let go of his hand from the spoon as he had given up. Of course the spoon remains floating in the universe.

"Ruth, don't come at me like that."

"Because Alec was an orphan, I'm also sensitive to the living conditions of children without parents. I don't like it when those kids are treated unfairly."

Ruth looks remorseful. I am not aware of him at all, but his expression is in order, so I shook the feelings of the beholder. Even Wonok sighed like he had lost.

"Okay. It was my fault. But what do I do? I don't have kids' clothes or anything, and I don't know what to tell you."

"… So can I temporarily take this child back to my house? I'll give you that because I think my antiquities are still there, and then I'll go buy some more underwear and grocery stores. Then teach me how to take a bath..."

"I'll take care of it. If it costs money, don't hesitate to tell me. I'll give you as much as I want."

".................. ok"

Ruth glanced at Wonock's obnoxious attitude, but he didn't say anything more.

Ruth laughed softly as she stared at the boy. It was just right for Ruth to look into his eyes because he crouched high and the boy's back length didn't change that much.

"I say Ruth Blau. Can I have your name, please?

…………

"Uh, can you tell me your name?

Ruth looks bewildered by the boy who looks a little sorry but remains silent.

"He doesn't have a voice."

"Huh!?... Really?

When Ruth, surprised by Wonock's words, asked the boy, he nodded firmly. Ruth looked sorry and apologized in a small voice.

"So, Mr. Wonock, what's this kid's name...?

"You don't know."

"Huh? You don't know... what do you usually call it?

"'Hey' and 'you' are enough, so I didn't even think it was necessary."

"…………… Mr. Wonok"

Anger lights up Ruth's voice again. But when he immediately exhaled deeply, whether he thought it was useless to be angry, he smiled softly at the boy.

"Can you write your name or something?

A boy shakes his head.

"So what's the first letter of the name like? Tell me one at a time………………………"

But before Ruth finished, the boy shook his head. Ruth frowned a little when she saw her straight-eyed, unmistakable eyes.

"... could it be that you don't remember the name, or something?

……

The look on Ruth's face changes when he snorted at the boy who stopped for a moment. I approached Ruth, who looked terribly sad, as if the boy had learned more confusion.

"Is that so………"

Ruth stroked the boy's head slowly as he approached him. There is a slight redness in the boy's face due to a lack of facial changes in the gentle gesture that moves as if he works while searching for words.

"Well, that's the thing. It's a corner, you put it on him."

"Put it on him, no way"

As Ruth tried to complain about Wonock's nasty remarks, the boy touched his hand as he stroked his head. And nod again and again. That attitude looks as if it's hurrying Ruth.

"............... you really want me to wear it?

As the boy nodded again, Ruth looked bewildered, but eventually began to think in silence.

"... right. It's Citstiadis (winter) season now, so I was wondering if God would give me a few names and say 'adi' or something?

"It's simple."

"Leave me alone. I don't know." Addy "?

Boy - Addy nodded slightly loosening her cheeks. Ruth's face also softens to a delightful expression.

"All right, Addy. Then come home with me. Let's match shoes and clothes. You can take a lot."

So when Ruth reaches out with her hands wide to give her a hug, Addy takes a step back with a slightly bewildered look.

"What's wrong? Yeah, I'm like this, but I'm fine because I have the strength. It's barefoot, and the ground is still cold outside."

I tell him I'll take him with me for safety, too, and Ruth holds him up without letting Addy on his confused face say yes or no. Contrary to her appearance, which looked as luxurious as a woman, Ruth held Addy lightly in a steady manner.

"Look, it's not dangerous, is it? You can rest assured. If you're embarrassed, keep your face hidden."

Laughing at Addy for whom Ruth had the same gaze. Then Addy nodded his face straight to Ruth's neck, looking a little smelly but not violent. My still young arm goes around Ruth's neck.

"Well, Mr. Wonock, I'll have to borrow Addy for a while."

"Uh, I'll leave it to you. I'll leave it to you."

Ruth reaches out to the door with Addy in his arms, even as he gives a grumpy reply and looks frightened by Wonock stretching his spoon to the stew again. And I stopped my leg as I tried to get out.

"Speaking of which, Mr. Wonock, do you know how to say 'Zeogius D'Angelmaia'?

Wonok stopped his hand for a moment at that word that came out of Ruth's mouth, but he moves the spoon with a face that looks like nothing as it is.

"……… How do you know that name?

"Ah, no, Mr. Nicolas came to this village because he heard rumors about the person... apparently more of a legend to be described as a wise man. You think you're from the Dragon Nation, which is a minority? Mr. Nicolas, I'm studying healing techniques, but he seems to be feeling stuck, and he came all the way here to beg the person to teach him. Does Mr. Wonock know?

"The name alone... but I don't think I'm in this village."

"Right. Where did it become such a rumor......"

When Ruth gave him a contemplative look, Wonock quietly opened his mouth.

"Hey, Ruth. Wouldn't that be strange?

"What is it?

"I asked the village chief, Bartolo, that this village has remained around a hundred people since its birth."

"Eh...? Are you saying you haven't made any decline or increase?

"That's right. It will not flourish, nor will the population disappear. The surrounding villages have disappeared or grown in the last decades, but only this one remains stable in a certain number"

"…… that's strange indeed."

"Right. It's not like there's a specialty, it's a discreet village leaning against a small dungeon. If it were normal, it would be possible to wipe it out with epidemic diseases and so on, and because it is an inconvenient village, all the young people would leave and disappear. But nothing like that at all. ………… How do you perceive this?

"Capture..."

Ruth looked difficult when Wonok asked her questions as if she were a teacher. But in the end you didn't know, I twisted my neck and sighed.

".............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"That's quite a leap forward idea."

"You don't have a choice. I'm not familiar with that...... more than that, what does the current story have to do with Mr. Zeogius?

"No, it has nothing to do with anything. It's just a public story."

"... what is that?"

When Ruth muttered dissatisfied, Wonock resumed eating borough stew. You thought you'd finished talking about how it was. Ruth sighed and held Addy back.

"So, Addy, shall we go? Excuse me, Mr. Wonock."

Ruth took Addy and went outside to say hello.

Wonok, who had heard the footsteps go far away, put the spoon down and smiled niggly as he heard the sound disappear at the end of the house door.

"Kuku... you dragon king, you lived a hidden life just like me, and it's a solid rumor because of your use of power. Well, thanks to his pseudonym, he doesn't seem to be in the rumor area, but he's a bit of a loose end."

Wonok laughs with pleasure. But gradually the expression became cloudy, and eventually, when he had a sinister face, he found the door where Ruth had left.

"But even then, I don't know what it's like to be on your side. As for those who know the fate of the brave..."

Wonok looks far away. Those eyes were as if they were remembering the past.

"In human Ruth, you won't be able to wait as long as I do."

Wonok stands up and goes into the back of the room with a spoon on top of the plate that Addy hid behind the vase. And I opened the black door that forbids me from entering the room.

Behind the door was a room with a high ceiling, unlikely in a small exterior house similar to an abandoned house. Shelves were built on one side of the wall, lined with various books and experimental instruments.

When Wonok walks, the lamp provided on the wall lights up simultaneously. And at the end of the day - in the deepest part of the room there was a chair where you could sit deeply, and in the front there was a portrait on the wall that was as long as Wonok's back.

Slowly sitting on his chair, Wonok looks up at the portrait figure.

"Hey, Fans... I wonder which is better for those who can't wait or those who can only wait"

The young man smiling with his eyes closed in the portrait stretches his light green hair up to his waist, depicting a strange text around his left eye. Though not flashy, the kindness inherent in the youth seemed seeping out of its appearance, attracting everyone to want to stare at.

"We've waited a thousand years. How much longer do I have to wait for you............?

Wonok grips strongly the wind talisman returned by Ruth. The green stone was shining as if to fill the gap in Wonok's heart.

"If you wait, will one day I really see you...... Fance?

The lonely voice of the man who once ruled the demon disappeared into a quiet room.