Chapter 16

The chirping of nameless birds woke me up again. No matter how many times I hear it, I’ll never know their names.

“Ugh, now you’re getting sentimental over birds? Seriously.”

The crow snorted, scratching its beak with its claws, clearly annoyed with me.

“…I just felt a moment of gratitude for them helping me wake up early.”

“Hey, have you ever even bought me a single fruit after I saved your life?”

“If I see something suitable on the way back, I’ll get it for you.”

“After what happened last time you went out, you’re going again?”

“I collapsed because I forgot to take my medicine. It has nothing to do with going out.”

“If you were a wreck just two days ago, you should stay home and rest, you idiot.”

Normally, I would’ve stayed home to recover, but today, I just couldn’t.

But explaining all that felt trivial and pathetic, so I didn’t feel the need to explain.

“I’ll be back.”

“Hey! Are you deaf? Stay home, take your medicine, and rest, you lunatic!!!”

“…Now that you mention it, I almost forgot to take my medicine again.”

I shoved a handful of medicine into my mouth and left the Lord’s Mansion. The crow kept yelling at me to just stay in bed and rest.

After that, I headed to the Adventurer Guild and saw Cecilia, the branch leader, idly twirling a pen.

Even though the bell on the door jingled, she didn’t turn around, engrossed in something as she half-heartedly replied.

“Yes, this is the Adventurer Guild. If you’re here for a request, we’re closed today, so go home and wash your feet or something…”

“I’m not here for a request. I’m here to make one.”

“W-wait a minute…!”

She threw down the book she was reading and quickly turned to look at me.

“Lord, why are you here…! Weren’t you supposed to be resting?”

“…I’m fine now. That’s why I could come here.”

The fatigue that had weighed me down like a soaked sponge had long since disappeared.

Now, it was only my wretched spirit that was dragging me down, which is why I came to see her.

“By the way, you said you’re here to make a request? Did something happen?”

“…I need an escort.”

“An escort? What could you possibly need that for in this village?”

“Is there no one available to take the request?”

“Right now, everyone’s gone to hunt a horned tiger that appeared in the forest. I’m just holding down the fort… I mean, as the branch leader, I have to stay here.”

Was the horned tiger such a powerful monster that it required multiple adventurers?

I didn’t know. Everything related to taking lives felt so distant now that I couldn’t jump to conclusions.

As Rizel said, I might be a monster obsessed with slaughter. Or maybe I’ve already become a monster.

“But an escort… You’re probably stronger than most adventurers, including me…”

“Is it not possible?”

“Well, I have to stay here…”

“Please.”

I put into practice what Camilla had taught me: “How to politely request something from an adventurer.”

Cecilia’s eyes widened at the gold coin I handed her, but she quickly coughed and turned her head.

“Th-this is definitely a lot of money for a single escort, but I’m the branch leader. I can’t possibly leave this place…”

I repeated what Camilla had taught me: “How to politely request something from an adventurer.”

“You can just lock the door and go, right?”

The simplicity of adventurers was their charm. It wasn’t sarcasm—it was genuine.

Unlike nobles, who were obsessed with vague notions of honor and prestige and repeatedly did things that made no sense, adventurers were different, and I liked that.

Everything came down to money, a means to survive, which made their way of life far more beautiful than that of nobles.

“Alright, tell me your destination. Do you have business in the next village?”

“I want to go to the nearest river.”

“The river…? Are you planning to do some fishing…?”

“Sadly, I have no talent for catching fish.”

Cecilia looked puzzled but guided me to the river anyway.

After walking for about 40 minutes, Cecilia, unable to bear the boredom, finally spoke up.

“Do you have any family, Lord?”

“…I did. But I suppose I should say I don’t anymore.”

Since I abandoned the castle of Berze, I can’t introduce my mother and Rizel as my family.

“…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“It’s fine.”

It didn’t feel sad anymore. Though if I were to face them and talk, things might be different.

But even if I were to face them and hear any harsh words, I don’t think I’d feel any strong emotions.

It all felt hazy, like everything was shrouded in fog. Just like everything I’m feeling now.

“We’re almost there. If you push through the bushes here, you’ll find the river you’re looking for.”

Cecilia used her long knife to cut through the bushes, revealing the sparkling blue river.

“Indeed.”

“Sometimes the village children come here to play in the water. Of course, with a guardian.”

“If it’s used for that purpose, then there’s no harm.”

“Uh…?”

“Could you turn around for a moment?”

Cecilia looked puzzled but obediently turned her back.

While she was turned away, I finished my preparations and stepped into the water.

“Lord, what are you doing…?”

Cecilia turned and saw me naked. My lower half was submerged, but my upper half wasn’t.

“KYAAAAAAAH!!!”

“…Is my body so hideous that it warrants a scream?”

“That’s not the problem here!”

“Or is this river only for children, so adults can’t enter?”

“Why did you suddenly take off all your clothes?!”

I couldn’t understand why Cecilia was so angry.

It’s common sense to take off your clothes to bathe, and I wanted to bathe. So I took off my clothes.

“As you can see, I’m bathing.”

“But why did you need an escort for something as simple as a bath?!”

“If some wild animal steals my clothes, I’d have to go home naked, wouldn’t I?”

“You’re showing me your naked body right now!”

“Technically, my lower half isn’t visible, so I’m not completely naked…”

“Enough! Just finish your bath and go back!”

“I was planning to do that anyway.”

Cecilia seemed like someone who got angry easily. Getting that angry couldn’t be good for her mental health.

Of course, I wasn’t one to talk. With a heart that no longer felt anything, how could I possibly interfere?

“It looks shallow, but the center of the river is surprisingly deep, so be careful.”

I heard her words, but they didn’t register. I was too absorbed in the nameless sensations I was feeling.

I walked deeper into the water, then let myself sink slowly to the bottom.

Yes. This is what I wanted. The sensation of seeing nothing and hearing nothing.

In this water, everyone feels the same, so in this water… I wasn’t a monster.

‘…Why did I give birth to a monster like you?’

‘People were right! You’re just a monster!’

Even those curses couldn’t define me as a monster in this moment.

And in that moment when I could exist as a human, something with great force pulled me back to the surface.

“Are you trying to die?!”

“Ah…”

Coming back to the surface, I was a monster once again.

“I was just washing myself in the water.”

“What kind of lunatic stays underwater for over 10 minutes?!”

“Even if my life were in danger.”

I couldn’t help but ask, genuinely curious.

“It’s none of your business, is it?”

Then, I felt a sharp pain as something hit me.

“Someone’s about to die, and you’re saying it’s none of my business?!”

She was so agitated that she forgot to use honorifics and was yelling at me.

“Someone…”

I couldn’t understand. To her, I must look like a monster.

“Do you define me as a human?”

“Are you saying you’re a monkey or something?”

How should I explain this?

As I pondered, I heard the sound of a beast trampling through the underbrush, heading our way.

“Then let me ask again.”

A giant horned tiger emerged from the bushes, roaring at us.

“Lord, step back for now. I’ll handle this monster…”

I used a nearby rock as a stepping stone to leap onto the horned tiger’s head, which was at least 5 meters tall, and grabbed the staff I had left by my clothes.

“In the blink of an eye…”

I struck the horned tiger’s head with my staff, channeling a shockwave through it.

And like most of the enemies I’ve faced, the horned tiger exploded, leaving no corpse behind.

“Do you still define me as a human?”

“Lord…”

But Cecilia just turned her head, giving no answer.

“Those clothes…”

“Ah.”

Only then did I realize the problem.

As I tried to fix the problem by putting my clothes back on, the adventurers chasing the horned tiger appeared.

“Branch Leader…? And the Lord…?”

I tried to imagine what they were seeing from their perspective.

Cecilia, her face red, soaked from head to toe.

And me, with nothing on but one leg in my pants.

This was a scene that anyone would misunderstand.

“…..”

But I was horrifically bad at explaining things. Anything I said would only make things worse.

And my fiancée had once said this to me.

‘Just keep your mouth shut. Every word you say irritates people.’

She was a wise woman. What she said was usually right.

“…Cecilia. Make sure to answer my question later.”

I quietly put on my clothes and returned to the Lord’s Mansion.

Of course, because of that, Cecilia and I were plagued by troublesome rumors.

But none of those rumors could shake me as much as the one thing she had said.

“A human…”

“Ugh, you idiot…”

The crow pecked at the nuts I had brought it, criticizing my foolishness.

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