A Stuffed Cheonma in my Head - Chapter 62



Only Noblemtl

Episode 062. I’m Here Too

* * *

I stared blankly down the cliff.

Between the tall mountains and the steep cliffs that formed a valley, fog was rising.

The joy of advancing to another level was short-lived. My mood sank.

Are all the people who lived here really dead?

Did I come here and die?

So did I kill them?

[… … .]

Even though I killed all the evil spirits, I still felt uneasy.

This was because killing them did not bring back the dead villagers.

When I thought about it, I felt somehow wronged.

Those demons were the ones who killed the townspeople, so why should I feel guilty?

Those bad kids.

Those guys actually had no sense of guilt. They just had their eyes sparkling with the thought of getting the dagger.

A villain should be so shameless. Am I just not qualified to be a villain?

Those damned demons probably didn’t even count the number of people they killed.

… … Come to think of it, I don’t even know. Oh, shit.

It seemed like I was really a villain.

‘Oh, I’m so pissed.’

If there were any living ones, I would have beaten them to death, but unfortunately, none of them survived.

… … In fact, killing those guys was nothing more than venting one’s anger.

The anger I directed at them was actually directed at myself.

As expected, it was me who killed him.

If I hadn’t come, they would have lived the rest of their lives here in peace.

My fist was clenched.

‘Fuck.’

At that moment, I felt someone approaching from behind.

The footsteps were so light that the sound of approaching people was barely audible.

The heavy rain had made every place muddy, but she was the only one walking on bare ground.

Shushuruta said.

“Ashvan.”

“… … .”

I didn’t answer.

I continued to stare blankly down the cliff.

I didn’t even know why I was doing that.

Shushuruta let out a short sigh, then came over and squatted down next to me.

“… … .”

“… … .”

We sat in silence for a while, admiring the scenery below the cliff.

Shushuruta followed me and looked down the cliff as he spoke.

“You worked hard. Are you hurt anywhere?”

I nodded.

There were some minor scratches here and there, but they weren’t that serious.

If you wake up one day, you’ll be completely better.

Shushuruta stared at me blankly, then turned her gaze back down the cliff.

Swish-

The sound of the rain sounded a little weaker than before.

The raindrops hitting my head seemed to be getting weaker.

Shushuruta suddenly said.

“Ashvan. I think you’re pushing yourself too hard.”

What does it mean?

I stared down at the cliff from which the demons had fallen and thought about her words.

She continued speaking.

“If I just quietly watch you stride towards the place of death without any worries. For some reason… … .”

Shushuruta finished speaking, placing her hand on my chest.

“Here, my heart hurts.”

“… … .”

I glanced at her and then looked back at the scenery below the cliff.

I felt Shushuruta looking at me like that.

She stared blankly at the side of my face and asked.

“Ashvan. What are you thinking about?”

I opened my mouth without taking my eyes off the scenery.

“……just.”

“just?”

“Thinking of the townspeople.”

“… … .”

“If I hadn’t come, they wouldn’t have died—a useless thought.”

Shushuruta stared at me intently… … .

puck!

He punched me in the shoulder.

“ah.”

My hand was spicier than I thought, so I touched the spot where it had hit me.

“It’s ‘us.’”

When I turned my head to see what he was talking about, Shushuruta was glaring at me with slightly angry eyes.

“You did not come alone. I came with you.”

“… … .”

“I am here too, Ashvan.”

“……yes.”

That was right.

I didn’t come alone.

“If you want to feel guilty, give me half.”

I looked at the guy’s serious face and chuckled.

Shushuruta’s eyes were twitching.

“Are you laughing?”

“Be quiet.”

I playfully pushed the guy’s small face away with my palm.

Shushuruta slapped my hand away with a grim expression.

[… … The rain is stopping.]

The raindrops seemed to be getting lighter, and the steady rain had suddenly stopped.

The sun that had been hiding between dark clouds finally revealed its face, and the rain-stained landscapes began to find their colors.

I asked, looking at the sight.

“What about the villagers? Are there any people alive?”

Shushuruta shook his head.

“There isn’t one. Even if there was one, it would have run away a long time ago.”

“Gregory?”

“I found the bodies. They were piled up behind the village.”

I clicked my tongue.

“Oh, I guess I can’t get any information.”

“I searched the entire house, but I couldn’t find the information I needed.”

I laughed hollowly.

“This was a waste of time.”

All that hard work, but in the end, nothing came of it.

Shushuruta spoke comfortingly.

“But you still found the location of the tomb, didn’t you? If you take the dagger, you’ll be able to do something.”

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye.

“I told you not to go with that kind of mindset.”

Shushuruta shrugged.

“Isn’t there no other way?”

“but.”

As I was nodding my head and looking out at the scenery, I saw something small flying in the distance.

What at first appeared as a small dot gradually grew larger and took the shape of a single dot.

“……bird?”

A black bird was flying towards this place.

The guy flew lightly as if he was bouncing through the air and landed naturally on Shushuruta’s outstretched hand.

Shushuruta smiled faintly and patted the boy.

“kind.”

“… … This is absurd.”

I muttered with a bewildered face.

“crow?”

Shushuruta nodded.

“It’s a crow. Isn’t it pretty?”

“… …He’s cute. Is he your friend?”

“That’s what it is.”

Now that I look at it, I see that my actions resemble my master.

It’s like bouncing around and brazenly picking feathers on Shushuruta’s hand.

It seemed to have been touched by human hands quite a bit, as it did not run away and remained still even when Shushuruta gently stroked it.

As I was looking at that sight with envious eyes, Shushuruta said.

“You can touch it.”

“……really?”

Shushuruta nodded.

I carefully took his hand and looked at it.

The one who was busy preening his wings pecked my hand right away.

“ah!”

I was so startled that I pulled my hand away.

Fuzz!

The creature flapped its wings threateningly while sitting on Shushuruta’s arm.

I was so surprised that I jumped back and fell over.

Shushuruta burst into laughter when he saw that sight.

“Ahahahaha!”

Cheonma also raised the corners of his mouth.

[You’re being funny.]

I rolled over and squatted down in the exact same position, looking serious.

“I wasn’t scared.”

Shushuruta said with a smile.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“… … .”

Shushuruta untied the note tied to the guy’s leg.

“What is it? A crow flying around?”

“Yes. It seems that the identity of the royal knight who was dispatched has been discovered.”

“Oh.”

“It seems like you’ve been moving quite secretly. It took this long. It seems like you’ve dispatched a stronger knight than expected.”

Shushuruta unfolded the crumpled note, took a handful of something out of her bag, and handed it to me.

“Okay. Take it.”

“What is it?”

“converge.”

The crow tilted its head and looked at this place, perhaps smelling the scent of the food.

Because he seems like a clever guy.

I said, glaring at the clever crow.

“You want me to feed that flying animal?”

Shushuruta pulled his hand away.

“Don’t hate me.”

Tub.

I took her hand.

“… … Give it to me.”

Shushuruta smiled and handed me some rice cakes on my palm.

A crow flew down from Shushuruta’s hand and came to me.

I clenched my fists and spoke to the guy, hiding my tears.

“Hey. I’ll give it to you if you let me touch it.”

The crow looked at me.

Then he tapped my fist with his beak, as if to say, ‘Stop talking nonsense and open this.’

I tried to sneak out my other hand, but it was pinched again.

This guy. He was always nice to Shushuruta. Why is he only like that to me?

[Wow. It’s a spirit.]

“Why is this guy a spirit?”

[If you can recognize at a glance the beast that you should not associate with, what else could it be but a spirit?]

“… … .”

[Because even beasts have eyes to see.]

I snorted at Cheonma’s teasing words.

“Huh. If someone like me has eyes to see things, how much do you have?”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Not you.”

“… … .”

I tried to persuade the guy while hiding the moi in my fist.

“Mom. I said I’ll give it to you if you let me touch it.”

The crow glared at me again, tapping its beak on its fist.

It seemed to say, ‘Open this when you have something nice to say.’

Shushuruta smiled and watched the scene before turning his gaze to the note.

While Shushuruta read the note, I had a staring contest with the crow.

Then, at the moment when the guy finally sells his soul for Moi… … .

Suddenly Shushuruta jumped up.

A startled crow flapped its wings and flew away.

I stared blankly at the flying crow, then threw the food I was holding into the air and shook my hands.

“What is it about?”

“Ashvan.”

Shushuruta whispered.

The tone was quite serious.

The expression on the guy’s face, which had been loosely relaxed, had turned as hard as ice.

“I have to go.”

I got up from my seat and followed her and asked.

“Go? Where?”

“Anywhere!”

Shushuruta suddenly shouted.

I opened my eyes slightly wide.

“This is not the time to be like this. Hurry up. Hurry up.”

Shushuruta grabbed my arm as I stood there blankly and pulled hard.

This is the first time I’ve seen Shushuruta like this.

“Why? Why are you making such a fuss? Like you didn’t know the royal knights were coming. Are you around here?”

“I don’t know. I’ll explain it to you as we go, so hurry.”

“Oh, right. Why is he like this?”

I grumbled as I reluctantly allowed myself to be dragged by Shushuruta.

To be honest, I had a hard time fighting, so I wanted to take a break and go.

The cliff view here is pretty nice.

It would be nice to go after eating something. What’s the rush?

“How strong is a royal knight? Stronger than the flute-playing wizard? Or stronger than the guys we fought today? I don’t think it needs to be that serious.”

Shushuruta stopped dragging me and shouted with his eyes wide open.

“The bitter cold is coming!”

“……what?”

* * *

Count Starvanger.

A neatly organized office.

Count Starvanger was working.

Then suddenly I looked out the window.

Before I knew it, the rain had stopped.

“Hmm. The sun has risen.”

Count Starvanger stood up with a small smile on his lips and opened the window.

The curtains hanging on both sides of the window fluttered, letting in cool air.

The count looked out the window, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the moment.

The wind was cool, but the sunlight after the rain cleared was quite warm.

At this moment, footsteps were heard outside the door, followed by a knock on the door.

dripping.

-Your Majesty, this is Duncan.

The count looked back and said.

“Come in.”

The door opened and the old butler came in.

“What’s going on?”

The old butler answered.

“A guest has arrived.”

“customer?”

“yes.”

The old butler looked at the count with deep eyes filled with the wisdom of the years.

“You are a distinguished guest.”

The count’s eyes widened at those words.

The old butler approached and placed a round silver coin discreetly on the Count’s desk.

“You have come bearing the symbol of our family.”

The count lifted the coin and examined it.

It was definitely a sign of the Count of Starvanger.

“This is… … .”

That guy was pretty old too.

The passage of time engraved on the coin was visible to the count’s eyes.

A sign as old as the old butler before your eyes.

The Count’s father. That is, it was a token given by the previous Count of Stavanger.

The count met the eyes of the wise butler.

The old butler nodded slightly.

The count asked with a stern expression.

“Where is the guest?”

“I’ve guided you to the reception room. Should I bring you in?”

“No, I will go.”

The count crossed the threshold of the office and strode down the hallway.