CHAPTER : 2
So let's start from the very beginning.
I was born in the village of Marcha. It is a small village near the capital city of Lostroad. There is almost a seven-day carriage ride distance between them.
The village was at the base of the largest mountain in the empire—the same mountain you saw last time.
The mountain range stretched far, so the only land route to the other side passed through our village.
Because of that, merchants and travelers had to stay the night during their journey, both going and returning.
As a result, the village prospered and became more like a small town than a simple village.
Because of its geography, it had many things that were hard to find in normal villages.
There were alchemy shops, a blacksmith shop, a small church with a low-ranking priest and a few followers, and a small adventurer guild with only a handful of members—mostly rookie adventurers who did odd jobs around the village.
There were also many other small shops that were rare for a village but existed here.
In the village, my father was a farmer and had a house on the outskirts.
Most people in the village knew him, and he was the only supplier of fresh vegetables.
Money was not an issue for him. He wasn't rich, but he also wasn't the poorest man in the village.
He was a man with the build of a soldier, black hair, dark brown eyes, and a soft heart hidden behind all that muscle.
One day in the autumn season, he was going to the blacksmith shop with broken and damaged tools for repair.
When he stood in front of the door and opened it, he saw a woman standing inside the shop—someone he had never seen in the village before.
She was a woman with blonde-to-brown hair and emerald-colored eyes that sparkled in even the faintest light.
Her eyes reminded him of plants after the rain, when sunlight hits the small drops of water left behind.
At first sight, he stood there for a second too long, unable to think.
When he came to his senses, his brain suddenly began to race, as if the pause had never happened.
"W-who is she? I don't think I've ever seen her in the village. And if I had, I would have remembered someone like her," he thought, his throat tight.
"What do I do? I wasn't prepared to meet a girl—someone like her.
Wh-what should I do? I don't want her to see me like this. I still have dirt on my clothes, and I smell of sweat because I skipped my shower yesterday.
I can't let her see me like this."
The thoughts fired through his mind rapidly.
He started thinking about how to escape, forgetting that time was still moving in the background.
Before he could decide anything, a voice reached his ears.
He couldn't make out what it said at first, but he instinctively looked toward it and saw that the same woman was speaking to him.
"Hey, are you all right? You came in and just stood there without saying anything.
Did you come for repairs, or are you buying something new?" she asked softly.
To him, it felt like he had been frozen far longer than he actually had.
His palms were sweaty, and tension filled his chest. He didn't understand what these feelings were.
He tried to speak, but the words stuck in his throat and refused to come out no matter how hard he tried.
Seeing his expression, she grew worried and reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay? Do you need a moment to breathe? You look tired," she said, concern clear in her voice and on her face.
He looked at her, took a long breath, and finally managed to calm himself.
"I'm okay now. I think I worked a little too hard in the morning heat and didn't realize it. Thank you," he said clearly.
She slowly withdrew her hand.
"Please take care of yourself. Go see a doctor or a pharmacist when you have time.
And remember to rest—working too much can be harmful to your body," she said.
"Thank you. I'll remember to get checked and take a long rest today," he replied.
"So, what did you come here for? You've had a bag on your back since you arrived. Was it for repairs?" she asked.
"Oh—I almost forgot why I came. I brought tools that need repair," he said.
"Oh, then you're here to see my uncle. He's inside. I'll go get him—wait just a second, okay?"
After saying that, she went to the back to fetch her uncle.
For the first time, there was finally a moment to breathe and think about what had just happened.
He looked around and saw birds outside the window and the blue sky beyond. Something finally settled in his heart after all that had happened.
She soon returned with the blacksmith, Nolin.
He was a big man—taller than him—with muscles built by years of labor, a beard, and short hair.
"So, Edrick, it's you. Liana told me there was someone in poor health.
Who would've thought it'd be you of all people?" he said in a rough voice.
"Haha… I think I overworked myself in the morning heat. That might be why," my father replied, doubt still lingering in his mind.
She covered her mouth and giggled softly, then stopped when she realized what she had done.
Both men noticed, but neither said anything.
"I think so. You should take care of yourself. Go home and rest after this.
But first, let's take a look at what you brought today," Nolin said, laughter barely suppressed.
My father wore a long face, the thought What did I do today to deserve all this? clearly written on it.
He quickly showed the tools he had brought, no longer caring about anything else.