I close my eyes, recalling the events that led up to my bizarre conversation with the star-gazing traveler. Or rather, her one-sided conversation with me.
＊＊＊
After I returned home from my part time job and took a bath, I still had several hours before bedtime.
I used that free time to complete my other part-time job, the one Lian had entrusted to me. Be it resting on a chair, laying on the bed, or while reading a book, I multitasked by charging his magic crystals.
“…This much should be enough for today.”
Leaning on the chair, I stretched my body. In my opinion, I had sat there for way too long. As I rubbed my shoulder, I glanced at the pile of blood-orange magic crystals on my desk.
I attempted to lift the bag that I had placed beside the desk.
Judging by the weight, there’s probably only half a bag to go through.
Lian had asked me to infuse my magic power inside these transparent stones, known as ‘Magic Origin Stones.’ All before spring break began.
Since he had wanted me to deliver the crystals once I finished, I’d probably do that soon, since I already finished half of them anyway.
With the public bar where I worked part-time on Saturday nights temporarily closed, I clocked out of my construction work shift in the evening. That way, I could return to the church before sunset. Lian should still be at the church then. I could pass the magic stones to him there.
This year’s spring break was a pretty busy time for me.
Well, it’s not like I could afford to take a break, though.
Either way, I still had to accompany Cheddar-san, my boss from my part-time job at a ranch, and his wife to Fothel Village a mountain away.
Before spring break started, Cheddar-san’s uncle and his wife had traveled far to Leis Village.
Their purpose: to ask Cheddar-san for some livestock after losing much of their own from an epidemic.
Cheddar-san and his wife were very kind. Sympathizing with their relatives’ misfortune, they decided to send eight cows and two horses to their relatives’ village. The relatives offered to help, but Cheddar-san and his wife gently refused them. His cousin’s back wasn’t what it used to be, and it’d be a lie to say his cousin’s wife was healthy. So I agreed with Cheddar-san’s decision. It’d be meaningless if his relatives suddenly collapsed on their journey home after all the help he gave them.
Additionally, Cheddar-san and his wife had asked if I would accompany them on their journey.
A higher wage would be provided than usual if I agreed to this task. He said he would also cover my meals and accommodation, as well as insurance. For a long trip like this, it was better to be safe than sorry.
They gave me until next week’s shift to think it over, in case I might already have other plans. Which was unnecessary, since I accepted the job on the same day.
Of course I’d like the extra money, but the main reason I accepted the job was due to Cheddar-san and his wife’s great care of me..
They’d invite me to dinner once I ended my shift, gave me clothes that, in their words, were from overshopping at sales. And sometimes, his wife would give me some of her homemade confectioneries.
Moreover, during their monthly day of prayer at the church, they would occasionally do a bit of handiwork, a bit of repairing here and there.
They were truly kind-hearted people.
Besides, it would be difficult for two people to take care of so much livestock, not to mention the chance of dangerous demons lurking in the mountains. While some areas were equipped with demon-repelling technology, there were also areas that were not. There was nothing absolute in the world.
Although the journey would take several days, spring break had just started. And it was a long one too.
The timing was great. There’s no reason to refuse them.
If my memory served correct, apart from the potential danger of wandering demons, the other obstacle was the large mountain separating Leis Village from Fothel Village.
Jagged at the sides, the mountain was littered with large, loose rocks, the occasional tree sprouting from the dirt. It’s such a hostile environment, so difficult to traverse, that we would have to rely on a detour instead of cutting straight through. A detour that would add at least three days to the trip if our pace was quick.
And that’s if we were only traveling by ourselves. Traveling with livestock would take twice as long.
With all this in mind, the round trip would approximately take two weeks.
Come dinnertime, I met with Lian. And when I told him the details of my trip, he acted just like I had predicted.
He panicked, the flip to his worrywart mode switching on.
Lian‘s probably unaware of it. How despite his words of denial, his face would pale, his hands shoving whatever items he thought was of use into my hands. Amulets, medicine, food, among other things.
When that happened, I’d be the one in distress.
I quickly tried to salvage the situation, reassuring him that I’d be fine. That I’d be back in two weeks. Once he heard these words, Lian finally calmed down. Then he decided to return home and I made to see him off to the gate.
This journey would mark my first time away from Lian for more than a few days.
We met at school everyday, and the weekend as well if time allowed it. You could say there weren’t many days in which we’d be apart.
It’s hard to explain how I’d feel in not seeing him for so long.
If I were to really consider it, then I guessed the closest emotion would be sadness. Either way, a negative emotion.
On the way to the gate, Lian let Marie and the kids know he was going home. And then, I suddenly remembered something called a ‘blessing’.
There’s a custom passed down from long ago in which one would give said ‘blessing’ to a person about to leave, in hopes of the latter’s safe journey.
My mother used to give one to my father prior to him setting off for work.
Marie also gave one to a child leaving the church for the last time, having been adopted. Or, to one of her close friends as they left the village.
What was a ‘blessing’? To put it simply, a gesture of praying for safety for person traveling far away.
In other words, it was just superstition.
But…
For the person who waited for the other’s safe return, it served as mental support. That if they waited patiently, that person would surely return home.
Similarly, it provided peace of mind to the person who left. That no matter how far they went, there would be a place to return and someone thinking about their wellbeing.
An affirmation of trust towards each other, making both sides feel at ease.
No matter how it’s put, however, it was just a flimsy promise, and couldn’t be called a ritual.
Even so, if Lian was willing do so with me… My heart would feel much lighter and he would surely feel relieved.
That was what I believed.
Problem was, Lian was the type of person who’d run through his emotions in a flash upon a slight touch, becoming shy then angry, then finally doing his best to run away.
Still, I couldn’t help but want a ‘blessing’ from him.
So I asked for one anyway.
As expected, he flushed in anger, not holding back as he scolded me. But just as I was about to give up, he suddenly came back to my side, cheeks still red.
And he gave me a ‘blessing’.
Joy coursing through my veins, I kissed him without realizing.
Naturally this brought back his scolding.
But that was of lesser significance. Lian gave me a ‘blessing’. This only meant one thing. That he was praying for my safe travel, waiting for my return.
Since he would wait for me here, this meant this place was a place I could call my home.
That’s right.
I should just call this place my home.
There’s a huge difference between my current self and the me in the past who had no place to return.
No longer did I have to search for that vague place of my dreams, which might or might not exist.
I’d finally found what I had been searching for.
The rush of joy suddenly returns. I had the urge to run, to keep running until I was left with a tired but satisfied feeling.
I wanted to hug Lian. To throw my arms around him and never let him go. But if I did that, Lian would likely, no, certainly fly into a rage. Somehow, I managed to restrain myself.
Perhaps I was able to achieve such a miraculous feat due to the ‘blessing’.
Flash forward to the actual journey.
Fortunately, we only encountered demons once. Not to mention, the enemies weren’t that much of a threat, and Cheddar-san and his wife easily repelled them on their own.
Although the weather in the mountains was supposedly unpredictable, it had been mild from the start.
We didn’t lose any of the livestock, and none of us got injured.
Basically, we arrived at Fothel Village without any incident.
At the village entrance waited Cheddar-san’s uncle and his wife.
After confirming our identities, they rushed toward us, welcoming us with tears of joy.
Cheddar-san’s uncle was named Palme. He and his wife guided us to their ranch. My escort job finished as soon as we delivered the livestock.
Now I just needed to return to Leis Village.
Back to Lian’s side.
Before that could happen, however, Cheddar-san and his wife wanted to repair Palme-san’s decrepit ranch. And I lent them a hand.
Since I would receive a bonus for my aid and had adjusted the schedules of my other part-time jobs to start after spring break, spending a bit more time here shouldn’t be an issue.
Many kids my age were looking for a job, employers could fire me at any time if I were to showcase poor work ethic.
Thus, our stay at Fothel Village extended by two to three days.
Come evening, the wives of Cheddar-san and Palme-san brought me to the market. They had me carry their bags as they dragged me from one shop to the next.
Carrying bags in both hands as I waited for the women, I observed the busy-looking people passing by. At the end of the road, a bit of a ways from the crowded market, stood a woman with jet-black hair.
In the blink of an eye, she was in front of me.
She’s a foreigner. Black hair paired with black eyes. These features were rare in this country.
Her fashion sense was also peculiar, a black robe with a black cane. She slipped through the gaps in the crowd like a shadow.
Despite her distinctive act of teleportation and appearance, she somehow blended into her surroundings without feeling out of place.
An unusual traveler who was also a foreigner.
Before she had passed me completely, she stopped.
She turned her head in my direction. Those dark eyes seem to suck everything into its gaze.
Did she notice how I looked at her? As if she were some sort of rare item? A wave of awkwardness crashed into me, inwardly panicked.
All of a sudden, the woman narrowed her eyes. She lifted her lips into the shape of a crescent moon.
“…Oh my, oh my. Well, this is indeed a very strange thing you’re holding, young man… Within you seems to be a ‘Monarch Star.’”
That surprised me.
This was my first time meeting her.
I didn’t even know her name. Who was she?
As I stayed silent, the woman slowly approached me.
“A strong star mania whose numbers in this world can be counted on one hand… To think that I can see it again with these eyes, what a happy yet strange circumstance…”
“…Ha?”
“Fufu… The ‘Monarch Star’ is a powerful star, a king who suppresses everyone and stands on his own,” said the woman joyfully, as if she were singing a song. “It seems like you were born under that star. There is a bright future promised to you. However, you will also carry a pitiful, deep karma…”
I blankly stared at the woman. I could not comprehend her words.
Monarch Star, powerful star, deep karma?
“What…?”
“This star attracts other stars,” said the woman, ignoring my question. “The stronger its gravitation, the more stars that will gather beside it. But even so… This star is also wild, a star mania, emitting its on light and breathing its own fire. The stronger its light and fire, the stronger the fear… Although it is human nature to wish for its light, fear from getting burned and annihilated exists. Therefore, no one would attempt to get close to this star’s side… Even the ‘White Morning Star of Compassion, which has the power to pair with it, will fear it…”
She shot me a sympathetic look.
From the very start of her monologue, I had not understood what she said. What did she intend to do by talking to me?
Irritation growing, I scowled at her.
Yet she showed no sign of leaving. Her smile did turn a shade cold, however.
“’Monarch Star’… The star that shines the brightest among the rest. A strong star mania that attracts many stars, and can even manipulate its orbit with its own will. Even the fate of the stars that it has attracted can be altered, and they will be forced to follow around it, the ruling king of the stars. But at the price of accumulating numerous followers, this ruling star must carry a heavy karma…”
“Heavy karma…?”
She narrowed her eyes, and raised the corners of her red lips.
“Yes. In other words, an ‘Eternity of Loneliness.’”
If a random weird lady suddenly told me that I will be lonely for my whole life, I will definitely freak out and won’t be able to sleep for weeks ww imagine the horror… (￣▽￣;)
A lot of braincells spent on this whole chapter, both mine and my editors’. . . We spent so much time thinking how her words make sense, sorry for another late release… ( ；∀；) I will secretly pray that this lady won’t appear again for our sanity!
Please remind me, have I translated Lian and Alfred’s village name before? What did I translate it as?? Leis? Reise? Ruise?
Comments