Chapter 697

"I honestly find it enjoyable."

"Enjoyable?"

Tanga raises her head at Berthus' words.

"Considering how you are."

"Ah...."

"You've never been treated like this before, have you?"

"Well...yes, but..."

The emotions Tanga feels in this village are things she's never felt before in her life. She was a figure mentioned in the emperor's court no matter where she went. She maintained her position not through blood or any other means, but through her abilities. That's why she was the person farthest from incompetence. There was never a mistake in her execution, even if there was a mistake in the orders she received. In fact, she even carried out the impossible orders of the last emperor perfectly. It was a life without failure. But since arriving in this snowy village, she has failed at everything she has done. She has become a person for whom failure is so natural that even a four-year-old child in the neighborhood offers to help her when she carries something heavy. Tanga sighs. "I think the people in this village are more capable, wise, and versatile than anyone I've ever seen in my life." "I think the same way." To sustain life with one's own strength. Those who ruled the world were amazed to see a community of only about three hundred people cooperating and living on their own in this extreme environment. Each and every villager knows what needs to be done and does it. Someone must always be able to take over someone else's role. That's why everyone has to know how to do everything. Tanga only had to use her sword. That's why she becomes so incompetent in this small community. "If a monster appears, I'll have something to do, but that's not the case. It's strange to hope for something like that, but..." "It's a good thing." "Yes..." In fact, even excessive monsters are very rare. Monsters that occasionally appear are either discovered as corpses buried in nature or hunted by the village hunters even if they are discovered. There's no reason to stand out when others can do the work. To children, she's a pretty lady. To young women, she's a naive and innocent neighbor. To the elderly, she's a cute and clumsy daughter-in-law. "Still, it's hard for me to be treated like a child by children much younger than me... Of course, the hardest thing is not having anything to say." In fact, Tanga has lived longer than the oldest person in the village. Everyone treats her like a child, and she receives the same treatment as children who don't know anything. And she really doesn't know anything. Because of this sense of alienation, Tanga's days are filled with sighs. Holding the cooling cup of water, Tanga looks out the window at the falling snow. "Still... I'm grateful that a place like this exists." She had tried to live hiding from people's eyes in the extreme wilderness. But she still lives where people are. And she can live. Tanga says so with a smile, and Berthus also smiles. Snowy wilderness. Nameless village. -Is he a boy? "Oh my, is that so! News of a new life had just spread there. A healthy baby boy was born and the mother is also healthy. Berthus went hunting even though it was snowing before his wife's delivery, so that they could have a feast after the safe delivery. Of course, the mother and baby, as well as Berthus, were unable to attend the feast as they were resting. Various meat dishes made from the deer that Berthus hunted and various other foods were made to celebrate the occasion at the village hall. Tanga and Berthus also attended the feast. 'It should have been a daughter.' 'Why does it have to be a daughter?' 'If it's a son, he'll be just like that useless guy Berthus. It's better to have a quiet daughter who resembles Ella.' 'They say daughters resemble their fathers, so it's possible that it could be a daughter who resembles Berthus.' 'Oh my, that would be awkward.' People were talking about the new life in their own ways while drinking fermented milk made from deer milk and enjoying the feast. It wasn't exactly leisurely, but it wasn't lacking either. On happy days, they could eat and drink as much as they wanted. Berthus and Tanga were used to rough food, so they could eat without any burden. Of course, Tanga's expression wasn't very good. On days like this, there was inevitably a question that she would hear. 'So, what about our baby?' An old man who had worked hard in the mountains today approached Violet with a kind smile and asked. What else could it be on a day like this but a question about the baby. When will you give birth? Of course, Tanga's complexion turned pale. 'I saw something today, so I'm scared, but we've all been through it here. It's not a scary thing. It's a great and sacred thing.' 'Ah...' Tanga is older than the old man. If a younger old man asks when our baby will be born, Tanga can't help but feel like she's going crazy. Tanga hesitates to speak. 'That, that's... I'm doing my best...' Of course, she hasn't even tried yet. 'Haha... Even though they look fine, why can't these young men and women have a baby...' The old man squints his eyes and looks at Berthus this time. 'Are you impotent?' 'What?! No! No way! My husband is! He's perfectly fine! He's healthy! He's... he's... every day! All the time!' In the end, Sabiolin Tanga shouted with a bright red face. Her natural disposition was to be more angry at Berthus' story than her own." However, once she shouted, she turned pale, not knowing what she had said. What does "a lot" mean anyway? "Every day... uh, a lot..." What is every day and what is a lot? "Sit down, dear." Tanga, who had jumped up without realizing it, sat down carefully as Berthus pulled her, looking unable to face anyone. "Hehe... it seems like this side has more energy..." The old man and the others sitting at the feast laughed. In the end, people found it amusing to tease this young and pretty new wife. She didn't know much and was always slow, but it didn't matter. In this frozen village, she always reacted like a lively fish no matter what was said. The mean old men found teasing the new wife to be one of life's pleasures. Her husband was also amusing, but he was so well-mannered that he always took jokes in stride. If you had to compare, he was a model student. He understood everything you told him, remembered it, and did it seriously. He was useful, but not fun. On the other hand, his wife was awkward no matter what she did, always trying to do well but failing and crying and being unable to move. She was useless, but fun. Both of them had become necessary people in the village in their own way. -If it's a lot every day, how much is it exactly? -That friend may look weak, but he's good at business. He went out alone and brought back a bear once. What does he need to do that? -The spine? -Of course. -Then the waist? -Um, his waist is not good. -Hehe... I haven't seen that friend like that... -Not everything is visible. Laughter and murmurs could be heard here and there, and Tanga's face turned redder and redder. Berthus, who was well-mannered, also trembled as he held his cup. "I'm sorry, dear..." "It's okay..." It had already been proven that they loved each other terribly by coming this far together. But seeing them respect each other made people feel strange. Like young people in love living together. Everyone talks about this and that, but they all think it's good to see. The feast continued like that. Berthus soon saw the village chief, who had been sitting at the top seat, talking to someone who had come into the hall. He was the nameless village chief and the leader of the hunters. He had led the group when they went to catch the deer earlier. After a brief conversation, he left the hall. Although it was something that could happen, Berthus was watching the scene because the village chief's expression was a little strange. "... " "... " And it wasn't just Berthus, Tanga also met his gaze. It was an inexplicable situation. Berthus shrugged slightly and Tanga smiled softly.

The feast continued.

After a while, Betun appeared at the hall, saying that his wife had fallen asleep.

As the protagonist of the occasion, he received a lot of congratulations before sitting next to Berthus.

"Radious hyungnim."

"Yes, Betun."

"Can you speak comfortably...?"

"I'm comfortable with this. Congratulations today. It's a boy."

Betun scratched his head at Berthus's congratulations.

Betun, of course, was younger than Berthus' wife, Ella.

But because of that, Berthus had learned a lot from Betun about the village's affairs, more than the village elders.

So Berthus was always grateful to Betun.

"Yes, she's healthy. I was a little worried, but Ella looks okay... By the way, she told me to come and see her sister-in-law."

At those words, Tanga blushed.

"Yes? Oh... Yes, I'm sorry."

"Ella was so worried that she asked her sister-in-law to come and see her."

"Please tell her I'm sorry...."

She was sent to rest by the midwife who was more surprised than the person giving birth, so she was not present at the feast.

"By the way, hyungnim."

"Yes, Betun."

"Our child doesn't have a name yet."

Betun asked Berthus with a serious expression.

"Can you give him a name?"

Berthus was taken aback.

"...Me? A name?"

"Yes, I hope you can give him a name. Originally, the village chief gives the name, but when I asked him, he said it was okay..."

It was a ridiculous request even for Tanga, who was still a newcomer to the village.

Is it okay for me to name the child who will become a village resident?

Although he had already received permission from the village chief, he couldn't help but be flustered.

"I feel something from you, hyungnim."

"What is it...?"

"I don't know how to express it well, but you look different from someone like me. If you give my child a name, I think the future will be bright..."

Berthus felt like he knew what Betun was talking about, but he still hesitated.

Naming someone.

It seems like nothing, but it is a decision that will determine someone's life.

Do I have the right to do that?

Me, who ran away and left everything behind.

Can I do something like that?

While he was pondering over a dilemma that no one knew about.

-Whoosh

A thick hand was placed on Berthus's shoulder.

"Do it for me."

"Ah... Village chief."

The leader of the hunters and the village chief. He smiled and put his hand on Berthus' shoulder, asking if there was anything special about receiving a name from a new person in a village without anything new. The village chief encourages Berthus to name Betun's son, but Berthus is hesitant. However, he eventually agrees and the village chief informs them that someone is looking for them. The two of them follow the village chief and find two people in black robes waiting for them in the snowstorm. The village chief offers to help them if they need it. The person on the right cautiously removes their hood. "....!" "You, you are...?" Berthus and Tana were both shocked. Long black hair like darkness. And a pale face. "Long time no see." "Anna...?" The disappeared black magician, Anna de Gerna, was there. The person on the left also removes their hood. "Louis...." Similarly, the person on the left was Louis Ancton, who disappeared together. The remnants of the Gradia Empire, which disappeared a long time ago, reunited after 5 years on a plateau where civilization disappeared.