Episode 145 I raised a tiger cub! (3)
From that day on, Royce began traveling between Lair and the village.
To be exact, it was a repetition of life, wandering around the village during the day and returning to Lair at night.
About three days passed like that.
Lois blended into the village perfectly.
“Hey, Lois! “Come and try some of this!”
“huh. “I’ll eat well.”
“Lois, when you go, give this to Jack!”
“okay.”
Even though it was small, with only about 20 households, the fact that Royce, an outsider, was welcomed wherever he went in the village was a result of his amazing friendliness.
Tsk tsk-.
Lois walks around town sucking on the beef jerky she got.
He was impressed by the quiet village.
‘It’s a peaceful village.’
The village where Royce is currently located was not that old.
Nevertheless, order was established in the village, and although poor, happiness was visible on the faces of the residents.
It was all thanks to a hunter named Jack.
‘Somehow he seems like a nice person… … .’
I don’t know where Jack was and what he was doing, but he was leading the town’s major and minor affairs.
Even though he was relatively young, he was playing a role similar to that of a village chief.
‘The villagers also follow him well.’
In hindsight, it was truly fortunate that Lia settled in this village.
As they were walking around the village, Finn whispered to Lois.
“By the way, Lois.”
“why?”
“How long do you plan on taking care of that girl named Leah?”
“well. Just until the little boy takes over her heart?”
“hmm… So isn’t it still okay now? “He’s adjusting well, isn’t he?”
As Finn said, Lia did her work on her own, unlike a 7-year-old.
The child was so bold and courageous.
Children at that age would have complained and had to do a lot of work, but Lia had none of that.
Wasn’t Jack once again impressed that he was receiving Lia’s help with his household chores?
In a normal situation, I would have admired the child for being smart and polite.
But Lois shook her head again.
“Finn, do you know what the first thing the kid said to me when he woke up?”
“What is it?”
“He said, ‘Who are you?’”
“yes? “Why is that?”
“Usually, at that age, children look for their parents when they are in such an unfamiliar environment. Or cry.”
“ah!”
Finn looked slightly impressed.
Because what Lois said definitely made sense.
Meanwhile, Lois’ story continued.
“And that guy… “Since I woke up, I haven’t once asked about my parents.”
“yes? ah… no way?!”
What does it mean for a child not to find his parents in an unfamiliar environment?
Lois nodded.
“that’s right. You know it. “My parents are dead.”
“that… … .”
“That kid, he’s pretty smart and clever. He’s doing his best to avoid being abandoned in this situation. “He probably thinks he has to be useful so that neither Jack nor I will kick him out.”
“It’s pitiful… … .”
Finn looked sad.
Lois shrugged her shoulders.
“Well, there’s nothing much to do right now, so let’s take care of the little boy we picked up. Until that guy takes over her heart.”
I already finished all my work recently, so I had some free time.
The horse was taking care of the little boy, but honestly, it was nothing more than a pastime to relieve boredom.
There was one more reason why Lois wanted to take care of a child named Leah.
‘I have no idea.’
As time passed, the strange feeling grew stronger every time I saw a child named Lia.
‘I’m really just a kid with nothing special.’
I wondered if there was a woman named Lia in the original work I knew, but that wasn’t the case either.
‘But why am I so worried?’
I feel like I don’t understand the meaning.
Therefore, Lois decided to watch the little boy a little longer.
After thinking that, Lois took a step forward.
His destination is Jack’s house where Leah is.
Squeak-.
“I’m here!”
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I opened the old door, went in, and shouted in a loud voice.
Jack welcomed this.
“oh? Are you here? “Where on earth are you going back and forth like that?”
“I told you. “My house is around here.”
“Still, it would be dangerous… … . “The monsters are still acting strange these days, so be careful.”
“Don’t worry.”
“But you… “Since when did you start speaking shorter?”
“Oh, did you? Don’t feel too bad. “I’m a little older than I thought.”
“hmm… … .”
Jack looked at Lois with mischievous eyes.
The handsome boy, who casually walked up and down the Nokchi Mountains, was full of confidence and ease.
I felt something unusual.
‘Is it a hermit…? … ?’
He also knew it well.
There are many strange hermits who have settled in the Nokchi Mountains.
The boy who said he was older might actually be older.
Because of this, he ignored Lois’s words without much attention.
Then Lois asked.
“What about Lia?”
As soon as the question was finished, a scream was heard.
“evil!”
visor-.
Jack and Lois moved quickly at the sound.
The place they headed was the kitchen.
A broken dish and a red-haired girl standing restlessly next to it.
Leah looked at Lois and Jack and said with a tearful expression on her face.
“S-sorry.”
Although the dish, which was nothing special and made of baked clay, was broken, Lia’s complexion was pale, as if she had made a very serious mistake.
“Well, I was wrong. Well, I’m just trying to clean up here… … .”
Jack waved his hand at Leah, who was struggling, as if it was no big deal.
“Okay. It’s not that expensive… … .”
Just as Jack was trying to comfort Leah.
Lois suddenly approached Leah.
and.
Just-.
He grabbed Lia’s forehead.
“Look!”
Jack shouted in surprise, but Lois just glared at Leah with fierce eyes.
Lia’s already pale complexion turned white.
Lois saw this and opened her mouth.
“Hey Kid.”
“… yes.”
Lois’ calm voice followed Lia’s downcast answer.
“Don’t try too hard.”
“… yes?”
“Don’t try too hard, just do it in moderation. “Neither I nor that bearded man has any hobby of exploiting a seven-year-old child.”
“… … .”
“I wouldn’t even think about throwing away the life you saved so hard, even if you didn’t try so hard. Hey, Jack.”
Jack answered the call out of nowhere with startled eyes.
“huh? “Why, why but?”
“If this little boy doesn’t do his housework, are you going to kick him out?”
“No way!”
“Did you hear? You are still a child. “Don’t make us bad adults for no reason.”
“… … .”
“So do it in moderation. If you want to repay this favor, do it later when you grow up. “Then it will be okay.”
Lia said nothing to Lois’ words.
Just listen silently.
Then, clear tears poured from the child’s eyes like a waterfall.
“Ahhh!”
The child cried loudly and clung to Lois.
The reality of losing one’s parents overnight and having to live alone.
The sadness that had been suppressed at the reality, which was too heavy for a seven-year-old child to accept, exploded because of Lois.
“Huh-.”
Lois looked down at the back of the head of the crying child with his face buried in her stomach, sighed softly, and patted his head.
When Leah’s crying subsided, Lois spoke.
“If everyone has cried, let’s go.”
Lia, slightly away from Lois, widened her eyes.
“Uh, where?”
“I have to say goodbye to mom and dad.”
It may have been a little cruel to the child, but Lois decided that it would be better for Leah’s life in the future if she brushed it off quickly.
Lia closed her mouth at his words.
“… … .”
“If you don’t like it, tell me later.”
Just as Lois was trying to sort out the situation.
“Oh, no!”
Lia slightly shook her head.
At the same time, the guy gently grabbed Lois’ hand.
“now… I want to go. With my brother… … .”
Lois nodded.
He looked at Jack.
“I’ll come back.”
“Well, please do that… … .”
Jack nodded with a puzzled expression.
He looked at Lois and Leah leaving the house and muttered.
“You’re better than me…” … .”
What the boy named Lois said about being older than he looked seemed to be true.
His thoughtfulness in comforting Lia after seeing something he could not see was not typical of a boy of that age.
* * *
Leah holds Lois’ hand and visits her parents’ grave.
The little child shed tears again that day.
It may have been too much sadness for a child to handle, but Leah’s face became much brighter after that day.
Also, he courageously devoted himself to each day and settled down in the village.
Jack and Lois also helped Leah whenever they could.
Time passed so quickly.
One day, two days, one month, half a year, one year, two years.
One day when Lia turned 9 years old.
A little lady with missing front teeth looked at Lois and spoke shyly.
“When I grow up, I want to marry you!”
“no.”
“why… … ?! Why not?!”
“I’m not interested in children.”
“You idiot!”
Jack told us that Leah was sobbing loudly that day and soaking the pillow with her tears.
The child who experienced the pain of her first heartbreak at an early age grew into a girl.
Lois watched the child transform into a girl.
‘As expected, there’s nothing particularly special?’
I couldn’t really discover the true nature of the strange intuition I felt from Lia.
So when Lia turned 15.
“… “There are times when I’m wrong too.”
Lois, who thought her intuition was wrong, gradually reduced the number of times she visited the village.
At first once every few days, and later once every few weeks.
As the number of visits to the village decreased, Lia, who was sullen at first, later realized that Lois was like the wind.
That he is not someone who will stay by his side forever.
And just like that, Lia turned 17.
Lois visited the village for the first time in a year.
The little girl with a nosebleed nose who had no front teeth has suddenly become a girl who is close to an adult.
“brother!”
“Hello little one.”
Lia, whom we met after a long time, welcomed Lois warmly.
After spending a few days in the village again, Lois returned to Lair.
After that, Lois visited Leah once a year.
Eighteen-year-old Leah.
Nineteen-year-old Leah.
Twenty-year-old Leah.
Lois, who saw that the seven-year-old child had become a full-fledged adult, left the village again.
To prepare for your second sleep phase, which is getting closer and closer.
A long time has passed since the inspection for the second sleeper was completed.
Three years passed and Lois visited the village again.
“Brother Lois?”
Leah, now 23 years old, looked surprised when she saw the white-haired boy sitting leisurely in front of Jack’s house.
She smiled at Lois.
“Your brother is still the same.”
While she was so young, Lois didn’t grow up at all.
The body of a fifteen-year-old boy.
I was skeptical about it at first, but later I understood it.
‘Mysterious person.’
He was like that from the beginning.
A being that suddenly appeared one day.
Sometimes he’s like my older brother.
Sometimes he’s like a father.
A being like the wind that hovers and protects one’s side for a long time.
Now, Lia had decided to accept Lois as is.
Lois smiled at Leah.
“You seem to be living well. then… … .”
“Wait!”
Lia urgently catches Lois, who looks like she’s about to leave again.
She blushed slightly.
“Brother, I… “I’m getting married.”
“… … ?!”
Lois blinked in surprise.
He said with a humorous smile.
“and… Where is the little girl who said she would marry me later? “Did I get dumped?”
“It was my brother who kicked it first!”
Leah and Lois, who had been bickering for a while, looked at each other and laughed.
“So when are you doing it?”
“Tomorrow.”
“… “I came at just the right time?”
“Iknow, right. “How did you come here at the perfect time?”
“So who will be your husband?”
“that is… … .”
Lois and Lia sat on one side of the yard and talked about things they hadn’t talked about before.
And the next day.
“congratulations!”
“Live happily!”
With everyone’s blessings, Lia got married.
The child has now become a woman.
Lois, sitting on a nearby roof, watched Leah smiling happily.
Then Lois lightly waved her hand.
Then, a sparkling light fell beautifully on the wedding hall.
Although it was merely a sparkling sacred light, it seemed as if the light was blessing today’s bride.
“and… … .”
“What is this?”
“pretty… … .”
As the wedding guests were startled by the sudden light and were buzzing, Lia’s eyes turned to one side.
Exactly to the roof where Lois was sitting.
Lois made eye contact with Lia and waved lightly.
At that moment, Lois could see.
Lia’s smile towards him.
“Live well, kid.”
Tsupat!
Lois disappeared after leaving a short blessing.
* * *
One day, another 7 years passed.
“Ugh!”
Lois, who was reading a book while leaning against a tree, briefly stretched.
Then, as I watched the red sunset slowly setting, I thought.
“Are you living well?”
A red-haired child who came to mind thanks to the red sunset.
Suddenly, a curiosity arose.
Is the married child doing well?
At this, Lois got up from her seat.
‘If you’re curious, just take a look.’
Anyway, it was a distance I would have to travel once.
As soon as I thought that, Lois disappeared.
Tsupat!
The place where Royce appeared was above the village he often visited.
Lois was amazed as she looked at the village gathered together.
“oh? “It’s increased quite a bit?”
As time passed, the village, which had only 20 households, grew to nearly 60 households.
It probably wasn’t the largest village in the area.
After finishing her short appreciation, Lois expressed her feelings.
And I found a familiar energy within it and moved.
fault!
Royce’s new model landed in front of a house on the outskirts of town.
A small house with smoke rising from the chimney.
Lois knocked on the door.
smart-.
“who are you?”
A clear voice came from inside.
It was a voice that was all too familiar to Lois.
He answered with a smile.
“it’s me!”
There was no answer from inside the door for a while.
however.
Daddadadak-.
I heard something moving quickly and the door opened wide.
And then the woman appeared.
“brother!”
It was Leah, now thirty years old.
She warmly hugged Lois, whom she met for the first time in seven years.
“Why are you here now?”
“I’m busy for one reason or another. “How have you been?”
“sure!”
“Looking at your face, it looks like you’re doing well.”
Lia’s face looked full of happiness.
When Lois and Lia were happily talking to each other.
“mom… … .”
A small shadow clung behind Lia.
It was a red-haired boy.
This guy looks exactly like Lia when she was young.
Lois asked questioningly.
“son?”
“yes. “I’m six years old now.”
As she said that, Lia stroked the head of her son who was clinging to her leg.
Leah’s son showed caution toward Lois and clung to his mother.
Leah smiled and said, seeing her son wary of strangers.
“Kendrick, this is Uncle Lois. “Should I say hello to my uncle?”
The child turned his attention to Lois at the sound of his mother’s sweet voice.
Lois smiled and responded to the guy’s mischievous gaze.
“The son looks very much like his mother… … .”
At that moment, Lois’s face hardened.
Embarrassment appeared in Lois’ eyes.
“Now, wait a minute. “What is this guy’s name?”
“yes?”
“Your son’s name!”
Lia responded to Lois’ urgent voice with a puzzled expression.
“It’s Kendrick.”
“… … ?!”
Lois’ eyes widened.
“Really Kendrick? “Not Kendurik, not Kandrik?”
“… “Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”
Lois’s backbone stood up at Lia’s question.
‘This is crazy… … !?’
He was really embarrassed for the first time in a long time.
He had no choice but to do so.
Kendrick.
How can you not know its name?
Among the original stories he knew, there was only one person using the name ‘Kendrick’.
‘Sword Saint… Kendrick.’
The strongest sword in the human world.
The owner of the True Dragon Sword.
The one who cuts off the head of the light dragon.
Kendrick’s depiction in the original was projected onto the face of a six-year-old child looking at him with gory eyes.
At this, Lois muttered as if she was lamenting.
“… “I raised a tiger cub.”
fantasy,
