Treasure and the Hero
“Isn’t that right?”
It was a heavily resonant voice. Just from hearing the voice, one could tell. It was the voice of someone who had experienced all of life’s ups and downs, someone worn down by life.
Before Ruman, who was lying face down, appeared a man’s solid chest.
Ruman sighed and raised his upper body.
“What do you mean?”
“Weren’t you listening to everything?”
“Ahjussi.”
Jenox grabbed the man with an embarrassed face.
Ruman examined the person who had spoken to him with a beaming smile.
Two sharply slanted eyes, short-cropped hair that was all white, and a face deeply wrinkled as if representing the traces of time. The wrinkles crossing his forehead were very deep. Deep enough to make their presence known even when he was still.
A vigorous old man. It was a man those words suited.
His broadly set shoulders and split muscles weren’t hidden even by thick winter clothes.
“The treasure mentioned in the Oracle. Don’t you want it too?”
The vigorous old man’s eyes gleamed. He grinned, showing his teeth.
“I can read people. From the look of you, you seem like someone who likes gold coins?”
Ruman, who had been listening to the old man’s words with an interested face, burst out laughing “Pahahat!”
“Ah. You’re right that you can read people well. I do quite like gold coins, but.”
Hearing Ruman’s words, a smile that said ‘Got it!’ spread across the old man’s face.
“Right! I knew it! I’m Jyanon.”
The old man extended his hand. It was a thick hand, full of scars. Ruman stared at that hand intently enough to make it awkward. He tilted his head as if pondering, then clasped the hand.
Jyanon didn’t seem to mind Ruman’s gauging attitude either, and laughed heartily saying he knew he would clasp it. It was a hearty laugh that rang throughout the inn. His loud laughter was enough to make even people sitting at other tables flinch.
“You’re a Hero, aren’t you?”
“…….”
It was a subtle voice with a tone that said he knew everything. Looking at that confident face, he wasn’t someone who would believe it even if denied. Ruman, meeting the vigorous old man’s gleaming eyes and gaze, just pulled up the corners of his mouth in a smile.
Jyanon pulled over a chair from the next table and sat down. Jenox rubbed his face with one hand.
“Ahjussi. Even if you’re going to talk, do it later. Okay?”
“Good grief. Stop being a pest.”
Jyanon waved his hand dismissively. As Jenox made a troubled face and kept trying to stop Jyanon, Ruman, who had been watching, waved his hand.
“There’s no need for that. I’m interested too.”
“Yes, if you’re a man, you should be interested in treasure.”
“That’s right.”
Ruman smiled, narrowing his eyes. His gaze reached Ren, who was dozing off, then quickly fell away. He ordered beer from Tomi and offered it to Jyanon and Jenox. Jenox looked at Jyanon, left words telling him not to be too bothersome, then went to another table.
Jyanon withdrew his smile and opened his mouth.
“Then I’ll ask straight to the point. Did you come to this place to find the treasure?”
Jyanon’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“If not, would there be a need to pass through such a small village? For a Hero, I mean.”
“Haha, this time there were circumstances.”
He spoke as if he knew about Heroes.
Jyanon’s point was valid.
It was uncommon for Heroes moving for missions to stop at such small villages during their travels. There was clearly some purpose at minimum. So, if it were normal, that is.
Right now, things were getting further and further from ‘normal.’
But there was no need to explain the reason in detail.
“I have to go meet a marriage prospect. So I stopped by thinking I’d slowly pick out a gift.”
“In this small village…….”
Jyanon snorted.
“Would there be a gift worthy of a Hero like you to buy?”
“My fiancée likes unique things. She’s someone who has more than enough precious things.”
Ruman shook his head as if to say he couldn’t help it. Following his head movement, his faded blonde hair swayed.
Though it was a woman whose face he’d never seen, Ruman pretended to recall his fiancée and acted out a loving expression. The acting wasn’t difficult. He just had to look at the boy dozing in front of him. A smile naturally squeezed out.
Watching his relaxing face, Jyanon smacked his lips. Because it didn’t seem like a lie.
“Then you mean… what’s your name?”
“I’m Ruman.”
Ruman revealed his name without hesitation.
“So you’re saying you didn’t come to this village to find treasure.”
“That’s right.”
Jyanon made an expression that said the excitement had fizzled. He downed his beer in one gulp and slammed down his glass loudly.
“Jyanon!”
The inn’s grandmother owner glared at him and shouted. Jyanon coughed awkwardly and avoided the grandmother owner’s eyes.
“How can I believe that?”
Ruman shrugged his shoulders.
As if asking what that had to do with him.
“Believing is Jyanon-ssi’s freedom, isn’t it?”
“Are you trying to play games with me?”
“Of course not.”
“You have no intention of finding the treasure?”
Jyanon asked with a snort.
“Didn’t I tell you? That I have someone I’ve promised marriage to.”
Jyanon made a disgruntled face.
“Hmm. Is His Majesty also not interested in the treasure?”
It was a probing tone.
Jyanon’s voice lowered considerably.
Ruman’s eyes and Jyanon’s eyes collided in the air. Ruman opened his mouth with a coldly frozen face.
“Impudent. To dare mention His Majesty.”
Ruman’s hand went to his waist. If he drew his sword, Jyanon’s neck would fly off in an instant. His killing intent was aimed precisely at Jyanon, and Jyanon felt it too. He closed his mouth.
Glaring at Jyanon, who didn’t avoid his eyes, Ruman opened his mouth.
“You’d better be careful. If the news has reached even you, then everyone who should know already knows, don’t they?”
It was an appearance that made one feel the conversation until now was just him playing along. Yellow amber eyes gazed at Jyanon indifferently. Eyes that would feel nothing about taking a life.
Jyanon clicked his tongue. Ruman’s hand fell away from his sword. He shifted his body to stand up from his seat.
“When did you hear the Oracle?”
The vigorous old man looked at Ruman. Jyanon’s eyes gleamed. For someone lowering himself considerably, his eyes looking at Ruman were unusual. His mouth opened.
“A very, very long time ago.”
Jyanon said that and left his seat. The inn’s door opened and closed, bringing in cold air.
It was a statement left behind as if doing a favor, like giving alms.
‘Strange.’
Didn’t he come to get information from me? However, his attitude as he left was very clean.
***
Ren, who had slept in a bed for the first time in a while, opened his eyes refreshingly.
Temarr was sleeping like the dead with a frown on his face, and Gepetto was talking in his sleep. Ruman wasn’t in the room. Ren combed his disheveled hair with his hand, then sat blankly blinking his eyes.
It seemed like the fatigue from camping was being relieved all at once. Though both the blanket and bed were worn, compared to camping they were very good. Actually, Coco’s castle did come to mind. He recalled the blankets that were soft and light yet very warm, and the bedding that seemed to absorb one’s body.
‘Ah. What am I thinking… I must be full!’
Ren shook his head and stealthily plucked a medicinal herb and put it in his mouth.
Breathing was a bit difficult. Ren placed his hand on his chest.
‘Mm. I’m not sure.’
Ren counted on his fingers. Mm. Mm. After the seizure, mm, 3 days? 4 days? It should still be okay.
Ren stealthily rummaged through his bundle. What he was looking for was a small yokan. Of course, it only looked like yokan on the outside and was medicine given by the medicine seller harabeom. He said to eat it when the pain becomes unbearable, right?
‘Harabeom, thank you so much.’
Ren recalled the medicine seller harabeom’s words and pushed the yokan deep into his bundle.
There probably won’t be a time to eat it, but there’s no harm in being prepared. Somehow, an uneasy feeling seemed to say he might have to eat that. Ren sat in front of his bundle for a while, checking his physical condition.
His breathing, heartbeat, and faintly trembling limbs and such.
For now… it seemed like it would be okay.
Anxiously fiddling with his neck with his hand, he felt the necklace.
Ren pushed aside the bundle and this time took out the item Tomi had given him. It was a toy that shot high up into the sky. However it was made, at night it sparkled with light. It was a fact he’d learned when he secretly took it out under the covers last night. Would it shine at dawn too? Ren’s heart pounded.
It was a dim dawn. A time when everyone would be deep in sleep. Should he go alone and launch it? Doing it when people were around was too embarrassing and awkward.
He didn’t know how to operate it, but wouldn’t it be possible if he fiddled with this and that?
Ren hastily put on his clothes.
Putting on the expensive robe Coco had prepared for him, pressing down his hood, and turning around, Ren screamed and collapsed to the floor.
“Aaaaah!”
“Eeeeeek!”
At Ren’s scream, Gepetto screamed strangely and opened his eyes wide.
“Wh-wh-what! What’s wrong, Ren?! D-did a robber break in?”
Gepetto tried to get down from the bed without having time to wipe the drool he’d drooled while sleeping, but his legs got tangled and he fell down with a crash. Startled Gepetto’s breathing was noisy.
