I Want To Save the Academy Time-Limited Madman

130 – 10. The Blue Sky and Water Droplet Magician (2) – If We Meet Again.

As I continued east along the great river that flowed through the empire, a small village came into view.

An old windmill turning in the wind, a millstone spinning ceaselessly. Farmers worked hard to pay their taxes to the lord.

This was Alpin Village, the hometown of Pure, Diar’s colleague.

The village’s dilapidated infrastructure and population of around 200 people made it seem like a rural area even among rural areas.

What I liked most was the quiet and clean air. It was a place where I could live with Pure in the future.

“It’s not a trip for fun.”

Although it seemed peaceful with not a cloud in the sky, the reality was unknown. Diar regained his composure, which had been shaken by the atmosphere.

“Sir, we’ve arrived. Hehe, we arrived earlier than expected.”

The coachman who had traveled with him to Alpin Village bowed his head and smiled brightly.

Although the time was short, I had grown attached to the coachman, who had told interesting stories during our camping nights.

Of course, Diar had also heard the stories for free. He had taken care of the bandits who targeted the carriage and various monsters.

Thanks to the coachman, they had overcome several crises, so it was only natural that his smile wouldn’t fade.

Diar took out a gold coin from his pocket and opened his mouth.

“You’ve worked hard for two days. Good job.”

The simplest way to express gratitude was with money. Since he had ample financial resources after conquering the 13th floor, he could show his gratitude as many times as he wanted.

However, the coachman surprisingly refused the gold coin, looking embarrassed.

I had heard that the coachman was a married man with children who was obsessed with money, so why was he acting like this?

“Wow…! Why can’t I accept this, sir? Really, I can’t.”

“Why can’t you accept this money?”

“It’s because you’ve saved my life at least twice, sir! I’ve almost died while driving the carriage many times, but thanks to you, I’m alive!”

The coachman continued to refuse the gold coin, shaking his head. Diar also had to step back.

Well, this money had become something that had to be ‘given’ somehow.

“Ah, ah, just put the money away for now… and let’s go to the market together, sir? I also haven’t been to Alpin Village in a long time… Hehe!”

“That sounds good.”

Diar coolly accepted the coachman’s suggestion and walked with him.

As they walked, the coachman told him various stories about Pure’s hometown. It had once been a thriving territory with over 1,000 residents, but it had been devastated by monster attacks.

The lord had called in mercenaries to fight the monsters and paid them with taxes collected from the villagers and farmers.

Eventually, the villagers, who had become poor, voluntarily left Alpin Village, and the lord, who had lost his mind, continued to exploit the remaining farmers.

That’s how Pure’s hometown had been ruined.

The scenery they walked through was miserable, just like the coachman’s story. They occasionally met people who were almost skeletal, and there were many empty houses everywhere.

“Ah… it’s even more devastated than when I came last time. The market was once so wide, but now it’s hard to find even two pigs’ legs.”

The coachman looked sorrowful.

The two didn’t exchange a word until they returned to the carriage.

It was difficult to have a pleasant conversation in such a gloomy atmosphere, and they didn’t want to have a heavy conversation to end their journey.

“Hurray! I’ll take my leave now, sir! I have to go meet those fox-like kids and rabbit-like wives waiting for me!”

“……”

It was hard to part ways.

The scenery that had passed by seemed only to be a gloomy sight.

Or was it that something else was visible?

But Mabu could detect a hint of sadness in Diare’s expression.

Although Diare was the one who had saved his life, he was a sensitive person… On the surface, he seemed tough, but inside, he was soft.

As Mabu was feeling puzzled, he suddenly thought of his own son. Would that little rascal at home, who was always getting into trouble, grow up to be a fine young man like Diare?

“Even if he’s my son, that’s an absurd thought, hurray!”

He laughed and continued speaking.

“Don’t be too sad, sir. If we meet, we must part ways, right? If you need a ride again, call me then. I’ll serve you for free.”

“……”

“Oh dear, time has passed so quickly, sir?”

After finishing his farewell, Mabu was about to leave but was taken aback again.

It was because a gold ingot had somehow ended up in his hand.

“I really can’t accept this money, sir!”

Mabu’s face turned red as he tried to return the money, but Diare was resolute. He couldn’t help but be resolute.

It was a strange feeling, but he felt it again today.

Seeing the dead was a sad thing.

A truly sad thing.

“If we meet again, I’d like to learn how to hunt.”

“What’s with the sudden polite language?”

Mabu was taken aback again by the unexpected words. Diare continued speaking, disregarding Mabu’s reaction.

“If we meet again, I’d also like to learn how to fish and chop down trees.”

“…..”

“If we meet again.”

Mabu felt something and listened intently to the young man’s words, not because of the gold ingot.

“If there’s a next life, please teach me how to drive a carriage then. I’ve always wanted to learn.”

Mabu couldn’t understand this young man’s words, so he could only listen intently.

In the end, Mabu received the gold ingot, as if in a trance.

Diare opened his mouth, as if he had come back to his senses.

“If we have a connection, we’ll meet again.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Take good care of that money.”

“Yes.”

“You’ll need it someday.”

“Don’t worry, sir. I won’t waste this money.”

Seeing a ghost was a truly sad thing.

As Mabu watched the departing carriage, Diare muttered briefly.

“My dead son’s spirit has reached this place.”

The son of the coachman died soon after his father left to find work, and the cause of death was said to be a cold.

The ghost that had entered Diare’s body finished speaking and briefly expressed gratitude before disappearing.

What Diare had given to the coachman was the cost of the funeral.

The deceased son had intentionally not told his father about his own death, worried about his father’s condition.

Diare gazed at the small, worn-out carriage and opened his mouth.

“Next life, if we meet again…”

If there is a next life.

Then, I’ll make sure to spend more time with you.

I hope the remaining seats in the carriage will be filled.

Diare made a brief prayer to the remaining spirits.

.

Alpine Village was a quiet place.

So, the rumor that a handsome young merchant had arrived spread quickly.

About twenty villagers gathered to catch a glimpse of the rare outsider, and Diare handed each of them a gold coin and asked about Pu’s house.

At first, the villagers were cautious, but after receiving the gold coins, they opened up. Money was always the most important means of conversation.

“Ah, I heard Pu was a young man who knew you, right? He’s quite tall and has a handsome face… Pu didn’t study at the academy, but instead became a man.”

“I see, Pu came back early this morning, didn’t he? Maybe he came to visit his parents?”

“They’ve only just met, and they’re already getting married?”

The villagers, especially the women, were excitedly gossiping about the rumor of a romantic relationship.

Among them, a young woman quietly spoke up.

“But I heard Pu’s mother… the lord set fire to their house, and her husband still hasn’t recovered…”

“Shh! Who’s spreading rumors? I told you not to say that! You want to get caught and thrown into the lord’s dungeon, where you can’t even get a piece of bread?”

“I’m sorry… I just… I heard Pu talking about it yesterday…”

The young woman hung her head, as if she had made a mistake. But Diare didn’t let it go.

“What’s going on?”

He grabbed the young woman and handed her ten gold coins, and she told him the whole truth.

Diare had sent a large sum of money to Pu’s family in the past, enough to revive Pu’s father, who had collapsed from overwork.

Not long after, Diare received a letter saying Pu’s father had recovered, and she was able to continue her academy life with peace of mind.

But the letter was all fabricated.

The money Diare sent was embezzled by the lord’s side, and the letter was intercepted and rewritten to deceive her father.

Pu’s family was unaware of the truth and waited for their daughter’s letter, living their lives in ignorance, until she returned yesterday and learned the whole truth.

Her father had never recovered. He was still bedridden, and his condition had worsened due to malnutrition.

Her mother had burn scars on her beautiful face because the lord’s son, notorious for his brutality, had drunkenly set fire to their house.

Her siblings were still struggling to survive, going hungry every day.

Diare, who had heard the whole story, felt as if cold sweat was dripping down his spine.

“…where’s your house?”

“W-wait, young man… calm down…”

Then, Pu, who had learned the whole truth…

Could he become a boss who would be brutally killed by the main character, Jena, as Odium, the pleasure-killing assassin?

“Where is Pure’s house?”

The anxious fans finally gave up the location.

Dias was finally able to find Pure’s house. It was an old and shabby house.

“I’m going in.”

With no time to hesitate, he immediately opened the door.