Chapter 44:
“Who—who do you think you are? I am these children’s uncle! Their parents are gone. I am their guardian. If you have business with the children, speak to me!”
Caspian stepped forward, crossing the line from caution into confrontation at the man’s rude glare.
At that moment,
“Ah! Your Grace, Your Grace the Duchess, have you come?”
The village chief came running from the mouth of the alley.
“I apologize—I didn’t receive notice in advance and couldn’t come out sooner.”
Panting and bowing deeply, the chief apologized to Kylen.
“It’s fine,” Kylen said, waving his hand dismissively.
The man hiding the children paled white.
“I-I am sorry. A lowly man like me failed to recognize such noble people and have been disrespectful.”
Realizing who we were, the man knelt and pressed his forehead to the ground, begging Kylen and me for forgiveness.
Kylen, watching the man tremble on the ground, finally spoke:
“Stand up.”
“I—I heard from the village chief… what the children did to Your Grace… It’s all my fault for raising them poorly. Please… please forgive them…”
The children seemed startled by the sight of their uncle. Hans and Jaden held hands, while Hannah clung tightly to her brothers.
Seeing their frightened expressions, I stepped forward.
“The Duke has already forgiven them. It’s best if you stand now…”
Despite my words, the man still trembled and refused to raise his head. When one of Kylen’s eyebrows twitched, the anxious village chief intervened.
“Hurry! The Duke and Duchess have already forgiven the children! Stand at once!”
The chief grabbed the man by the arm, and he awkwardly got to his feet.
Jaden, who had been watching nervously, brushed the dirt and dust off his uncle’s knees.
“Hannah said she went to the castle, Uncle. So she came with you, I guess.”
At Jaden’s words, both the chief and the children’s uncle snapped their heads back.
“I-I mean… w-waah!”
Seeing the stern looks of her uncle and the chief, Hannah burst into tears again.
Her cries echoed loudly through the quiet village alley.
“So Hannah saw Hans and Jaden being scolded by their uncle and reacted this way?”
I laughed incredulously.
Even after causing the Duke and Duchess to walk all the way to the village, Hannah had no idea and even fell asleep afterward.
“I… I apologize, Your Grace, Your Grace the Duchess,” said the village chief, suddenly realizing why the nobles had arrived without prior notice.
Luke, the children’s uncle who had returned from hunting, was told by the chief what had happened.
Hearing that the children had given their gaze to the new lord on reconnaissance, Luke immediately ran home and scolded them.
Having witnessed how their parents died, Luke gave the children strict punishment: standing against the wall with a bucket of water while tears and snot ran down their faces.
Seeing Hannah helplessly watch her brothers, she ran to the castle.
“Truly, I am deeply sorry.”
Luke bowed once more.
“It was an accident born of misunderstanding. It’s fine. You had to come to the village anyway.”
Kylen removed his gloves and placed them on the village chief’s table. The sound made Luke flinch.
Kylen instructed Caspian to escort the children home. Hans and Jaden followed obediently but kept glancing back.
Were they worried Kylen would eat their uncle?
On the way to the chief’s house, the children chatted with me but remained wary of Kylen.
I barely held back laughter at their cautious behavior.
Hannah, exhausted from leading us here, was left sleeping.
After the children left, only the occasional sound of wind and crackling fire filled the chief’s house.
“I have a few questions to ask,” Kylen said.
“Y-yes!”
Luke, tense at Kylen’s words, replied loudly.
“Usually, what do you hunt during winter?”
“Well…”
Luke hesitated, glancing at the chief. The chief nodded encouragingly, so Luke spoke.
“Usually, we hunt Laxels or Kodoras. If we’re lucky, sometimes a Mamos can be caught, but that’s rare—this year’s luck is probably all used up.”
Laxel? Kodora? Mamos?
I tilted my head at the strange names, and the chief hurriedly explained.
“A Laxel is a long-necked herbivore with horns, the main target of the hunt.
A Kodora is a large animal that usually feeds on fish, but in winter, it migrates to find suitable habitats.
A Mamos is the largest creature in Winterford: a long-snouted, furry beast that lives in polar regions, making it very difficult to hunt.”
So Laxels are like reindeer, Kodoras like bears, and Mamos like mammoths.
“How was this hunt?” Kylen asked.
“Well…” Luke trailed off, watching the chief. Kylen smirked slightly.
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of taking your harvest.”
Encouraged, Luke spoke carefully.
“The yield was good. So we returned from the winter hunt earlier than planned.”
“Good to hear,” Kylen said, nodding.
The chief stepped forward.
“After the winter hunt, we bring everything to the village workshop, process it, and divide it fairly. Would you like to see?”
Luke grabbed the chief’s arm in surprise, but the chief patted him reassuringly.
Kylen, noticing the chief’s efficient leadership, pursed his lips slightly. He put on his gloves, one by one, and looked to the chief.
“Show us.”
I got up and found my coat. Kylen turned to watch me quietly.
“Why?” I asked.
“You’re coming too?”
“Yes.”
“You can just stay here.”
“No, I want to see. I want to observe and learn.”
Reading about something or hearing it explained is one thing; seeing it firsthand is another.
Seeing their source of income with my own eyes would help me understand exactly how to help them.
Kylen shook his head slightly but followed the chief.
Moments later…
“Are you okay?”
No, I wasn’t okay.
“Ugh! Haa…ugh!”
I clutched the wall, trying not to gag. I couldn’t bring myself to look at Kylen, knowing how he would react.
“I told you to just stay at the chief’s house.”
I should’ve known.
Before entering the communal workshop, the smell of raw blood hit me.
I can’t even describe everything I saw; I had to run out.
Even a warning beforehand would’ve helped.
Pressing my chest, I took deep breaths to calm my churning stomach.
“Stay at the chief’s house for now.”
Kylen’s voice, slightly annoyed, made me want to retort, but he patted my back gently.
His touch, so kind despite his tone, made me consider whether I might gag again.
“Ugh! Ah… it’s… tough.”
I was calming down, but Kylen’s unexpected gentleness made my stomach churn anyway.
He paused his touch.
“Seems you’re better now.”
Cheeky—I tried to lift my head, but Kylen suddenly handed me a handkerchief.
