chapter 18
EP2. At the end of everyday life (4)
The warm morning sunlight greets Sean as he walks down the street.
Currently, Sean is on his way to Epinel’s house. The reason, of course, is to meet Levi.
Actually, you don’t have to go see Levy this morning, but you’re supposed to have dinner with Joe tonight, so you won’t be able to have dinner with Levi.
Yesterday, the chief was busy with work, so he couldn’t keep his dinner appointment, and the three of them wouldn’t be able to eat today.
Sean visits Levy this morning in order to lower the odds even a little.
This time, Sean opened the door to Epinel’s house.
“Chief, I am here!”
“I’m tired of talking to you now.”
Epinel had been sitting and drinking tea since morning.
Hmm, isn’t that enough to be addicted to tea rather than enjoying it? Sean had reasonable doubts.
Anyway, Levy always ran to Sean whenever he came, but today, strangely, there was no response. Sean looked at Epinel and asked.
“But what about Levy? Where did she go again?”
“No, Levy is still sleeping.”
Aha. Certainly Levy had her morning sleep, so she deserved it.
Anyway, I just forgot about it for a while because the time zone I played with Levy got late.
Sean pondered for a moment. Should I wake up Levy or would she just wait for her to wake up on her own?
While immersed in such worries, Epinel spoke as if to ease her worries.
“Shaun, since Levy is sleeping anyway, could she just run an errand for her?”
Running errands? It doesn’t matter much, but isn’t it pampering too much?
Of course, with that thought in mind, Shawn nodded his head.
“Hmm. Yes. What kind of errand is it?”
“You can go to the inn. Because we’ve already finished talking.”
Has it already been talked about having him run errands?
It felt like something was irrational, but Sean tried hard to ignore it.
Sean decided to think of something else instead of those negative thoughts.
If it’s errands at the inn, it must be Uncle Colin’s job.
You’re not telling me to chop firewood like you did last time, are you?
He obviously tried to get rid of the negative thoughts, but instead, he got sucked into more negative thoughts.
I think it would be much better to hurry up and get back before I fall into such thoughts.
“Yes, I understand.”
“Yes, be careful.”
Sean went straight to Colin’s inn. And Shawn spotted someone standing in front of the inn.
It was Tina.
Sean, who liked her because of her yesterday’s meeting, greeted Tina as soon as she saw her.
“Ah! Hello!”
At that, Tina also welcomed Sean as if she had been waiting for him.
“Shaun, you’re here now. Did you go in well yesterday?”
“Yes. ····Yes?”
While answering Tina’s questions naturally, Sean noticed something odd about her speech.
“What do you mean you are here now?”
At that, Tina was surprised as if she didn’t know, and she asked back.
“Oh, did you not hear from the chief? Didn’t the chief say that Shawn helped me today?”
Yes. Tina didn’t welcome Sean as if she had been waiting for him, she was really waiting.
If you made such a promise, I think it would be polite to at least inform you in advance, but in fact, this happened not once or twice, so Sean decided to move on.
“Ah, ahahahaha. Anyway, what can I do to help? ····That.”
As the ending faded, Tina noticed why and said with a smile.
“Just feel free to call me Tina.”
“Yes? But····.”
“Whoops, it’s okay. I’m calling Sean Sean, right? So it’s the same thing.”
It was quite awkward for Sean, who usually used to call seniors while talking.
Is everyone in the city singing like this?
Perhaps it’s because he’s a country boy, so he can’t adapt. Sean mustered up the courage to speak shyly.
“Is that … Tina?”
“Whoops, yes. Why did you call me?”
“No! It’s nothing…”
Tina couldn’t stop her laugh at the sight of her shy Sean.
“Huh, Shawn has a cuter side than I thought.”
“····Enough! So. What can I help you with?”
“Oops. I wasn’t kidding, I was serious.”
“·······.”
“Let me tell you. It’s my first time in this town, so I don’t know the geography. Would it be all right if I ask Sean for some directions?”
Sean nodded at Tina’s request. Any guide can help.
That’s right, this town is small, so it shouldn’t take too long.
“Yes. Where is your destination?”
“I’m thinking of going to the blacksmith.”
Forge? It was a place I never thought of.
Well, it was only natural when Tina remembered that she was an adventurer.
It’s been quite a while since I met Paulo.
We haven’t seen each other since the last time I grumbled and secretly comforted Sean at Luke’s funeral.
She had made up her mind to see her often, but she had been so busy that she completely neglected it.
I’m sorry for some reason. If I go today, I will do better than usual.
***
When Sean heard Tina’s destination, he immediately started guiding.
Paulo’s forge was small and secluded, as always.
Looking closer, Paulo was sleeping well this time too.
No matter how many guests she has, I can’t believe she is sleeping so peacefully. Shawn shouted straight at Paulo.
“Do-a-bu-ji!”
“Oops! It’s a surprise! I thought my liver was falling!”
For some reason, Shaun felt a sense of familiarity in Paulo’s reaction. Are you mistaken?
“What? Was it you What did you bring to this point this time, you bastard?”
Tina, who was next to Sean, was a bit taken aback by Paulo’s harsh words, but Sean said nothing.
“This person here asked me to know about the forge.”
Paulo looked at Tina at Sean’s pointing.
“Why did you leave your girlfriend behind and bring a girl like this?”
“My girlfriend! Levi’s not like that, she’s just a friend!”
“hehehehe, I never called your girlfriend Levi?”
“Ugh!”
From Tina’s point of view, Sean and Paulo seemed pretty close.
Even though there’s such a big age difference, we’re talking like friends.
“Oh, yes! The introduction is late because of her grandfather. This is Tina, an adventurer. And she’s here with her bigoted grandfather, Grandpa Paulo.”
“This kid. Who is stubborn! Ok? Kids these days have no manners. Eh.”
Tina said to Paulo with a shy smile.
“hahahaha, hello. You are the blacksmith right?”
“You doubt me? Okay. The blacksmith is right. So what business are you here for?”
Tina seemed to have already figured out Paulo’s personality and way of speaking, and said with a friendly smile even at such an embarrassing remark.
“I ran out of arrows when I came here. I came to buy some arrows.”
Sean, who was listening to the conversation from the side, nodded his head alone. Tina seems to specialize in her bow.
The bow is too difficult, but for some reason Sean sees Tina again. Well, so she must be an adventurer.
“Arrows, things I made in the past, are widely spread. Because there is only one person in this village who can use a bow.”
And Paulo went into the forge and took out the arrows.
“In return, don’t expect quality. They were made a long time ago, so they are worn out.”
As he said, the arrows Paulo brought didn’t look very good.
Still, Tina nodded her head as if it didn’t matter.
“It’s okay. You can use it temporarily before going to Laes anyway. How are you?”
“Hey, just give me twenty fairy tales.”
“Yes? However, with this amount, at least forty dongs will be received…”
At that, Paulo snorted.
“Ha, that’s okay. Didn’t I say there were only things that were made up earlier? And what am I going to do with the money? There is nothing to do with money in this town.”
Tina couldn’t bear to speak of her any more because of Paulo’s steadfast refusal.
As soon as Paulo received the money Tina handed her, she said to Sean.
“Little boy! Now take that woman and get out of here. I’m going to sleep better, so don’t disturb me.”
After firing that way, Paulo disappeared into the smithy.
Sean was taken aback. Originally, I know that Paulo’s grandfather’s tone is not nice, but today it is exceptionally tough. If it had been someone other than Tina, a quarrel might have occurred.
Are you in a bad mood today? After thinking about Paulo for a moment, Shawn figured out why.
Paulo didn’t hate Tina. In fact, when she first saw Tina, she joked about whether she was his girlfriend. It was only after she revealed that she was an adventurer that Paulo’s tone became stronger.
Yes. Paulo did not hate Tina, but her adventurer. And Sean could guess why.
It must be because his son left to become an adventurer and never returned.
Sean finally understood why Paulo was the way he was. Perhaps he thought of his son when he heard that he was an adventurer.
Shaun glanced at Tina. Fortunately, she didn’t seem to pay much attention to Paulo’s words and actions.
Rather, Tina looked at Sean and said, smiling as if nothing had happened.
“Oh, yes! Do you have any appointments for lunch?”
Lunch? I was supposed to have dinner with Uncle Joe, but not lunch. Shawn shook his head.
“Then let’s have lunch together. As a reward for helping guide the way. How is it?”
Of course, Sean was nice, but even if it wasn’t a promise, he was originally going to eat with Levy. Tina continued, as if she had read Sean’s thoughts.
“Let’s not eat just the two of us, let’s invite Levy and the chief to eat together as well! I’ll shoot you at the inn!”
At that, Sean also agreed. So, the two went to the chief’s house.
***
On the way to the chief’s house, Shawn noticed someone approaching from afar.
It was Lielcia. Lielcia, who was walking by, seemed to have found Sean, and her expression brightened as she approached them. Lielcia said.
“Oops. Our Shawn. Long time no see. To meet like this, maybe we are destined?”
“…Is that so? But we met yesterday too.”
“Yes. You were separated for one night. By the way, would you like to introduce the person next to you?”
“Oh right. Next to him is an adventurer who came to town this time.”
“I see. Hello.”
Sean then turned to Tina to introduce her to Riel.
“Tina, this is Riel, my dear older sister… Tina?”
Sean looked at Tina and introduced her, only then did he notice something strange about her.
From the first moment Tina met her Lielcia, not even once, she just kept looking at her without any reaction.
The look in Tina’s gaze, no matter how well she treated her, didn’t look favorably upon her.
What is it? Lielcia spoke first before Shawn could fully question it.
“Hmm, unfortunately, Sean and Adventurer seem to be having a good time. If you see me being so vigilant. Today, my sister will take a step back. Instead, I’ll spend time with my sister next time. Got it?”
With those words, Lielcia passed them before Shawn could catch them.
What just happened?
Isn’t that very important? Sean wanted to meet Levy for lunch sooner than that.
Riel noona is unique, not just for a day or two. Thinking so, Sean tried to continue on his way.
“Tina? Gotta go fast. If you go late, Levi and the chief might have already eaten.”
“Yes. Yes. I lost my eye for a moment.”
After Tina appeared to be fine, Shawn continued walking toward her village chief’s house.
Tina, who was following Sean behind her, stared at Lielcia’s back for a while.
***
So the four had a delicious meal at the inn.
The only minor problem was that her host, Tina, didn’t seem very happy.
In the end, Shawn and Epinel ended their awkward meal while paying attention to Tina. Levy didn’t notice anything, and she relished it.
Obviously, Levy is more discerning than anyone else when it’s important, but he was completely obtuse in this area.
Anyway, after the meal, Sean headed straight for the woods.
It’s for Joe’s second hunting lesson. Just like Joe said he would always be at the cabin, he was waiting for Sean at the cabin.
That’s how their second hunting lesson began.
There was nothing special about it. Just like Joe said he would teach the basics, he continued to teach Sean how to find animals.
Sean understood most things well, and when he saw a lacking side, Joe taught by example.
Just like that, the two finished hunting lessons and as promised.
The two of us ate dinner together.
Over dinner, Joe, who normally wouldn’t talk unless it was about hunting, opened his mouth.
“Shaun.”
“Yes?”
“Is there anything you didn’t say at your house last time?”
“·······.”
“You can tell me. No, tell me I want to hear what you were going to say then.”
Sean was hesitant, but realizing how big Joe’s heart was, he very slowly told Joe what he hadn’t been able to say.
Joe hasn’t eaten for a while. He just closed his eyes for a moment and thought.
What did you think? Who was he thinking of?
It seemed that not only Joe but also Shawn knew the answer.
Sean was keeping his promise to Luke.