Chapter 11

    Chapter 11

    Grandpa! Tell us the story of the hero!

    The children swarmed around him. The old man, who was sitting in front of the fountain in the village square, chuckled. He was the grandfather of the village chief and the oldest person in the village.

    What? What story?

    The old man put his hand to his ear and asked. He was very wise, kind, friendly, and smart, but he had a problem with his hearing.

    The leader of the children shouted again.

    The hero! The story! Please tell us!

    Oh, the story of the hero?

    Yes!

    The children gathered around the old man and sat down. The old man was not only smart, but he also had a knack for telling stories in a very interesting way.

    Thats not a very old story, you know.

    But youve lived for so long, grandpa! Mom said youre a wizard!

    The old man had experienced those things just the other day, but the children knew how old the story was.

    The old man pretended not to hear, or maybe he really didnt, and continued the story.

    When I was a little younger than you, the village was very peaceful. There were no monsters for years. It was a very peaceful village.

    The old man was lost in his old memories.

    When I went to play in the nearby forest, I found a small wooden box under a tree. I thought it was very pretty, so I quickly picked it up and brought it to the village. The villagers also admired the pretty and curious box. But then the box suddenly opened with a bang. What was that?

    It was a monster, a mimic.

    But the villagers didnt know what it was. Inside the opened box, there was a tiny tooth and a tongue the size of a hand. On the lid, there were two round eyes. The people wondered what it was. Then they heard a rumbling sound from the wooden box. I quickly went and brought my snack and gave it to the box.

    After that, the wooden box lived in the village with the name Mimmy.

    At first, the people gave it the food they ate, but soon they started to give it the food they couldnt eat and threw away instead of burying it in the ground. Mimmy ate it very deliciously.

    Sometimes Mimmy pretended to be a box, and then I really wanted to open it. I was very curious and wanted to have what was inside the box.

    But that was Mimmy!

    Yes, whenever I opened the lid, it was always Mimmy. Sometimes I gave it as a birthday present. It was a very fun prank.

    The old man laughed very happily. Then he lowered his voice.

    And a few years later, a very scary monster appeared.

    The old man still couldnt say the name of the monster. He was the only person who had survived that incident and lived until now.

    The old man remembered it very clearly. It was a very high-ranking demon.

    He didnt know why such a terrifying demon appeared in this small village. He was just a village elder.

    The hero, who was chasing the demon that flew with a cackle, was covered in blood. Even the great hero couldnt defeat the demon.

    Fortunately, the day dawned and the demon hid in the darkness. The hero received treatment from the villagers.

    What kind of monster was it? An orc? A troll?

    A werewolf!

    Well, it was a very terrifying monster.

    The old man didnt reveal the identity of the monster for a long time. He was afraid of being cursed if he said it. The children were curious, but they soon gave up.

    The hero said, Help me. We have to get rid of the monster right away.

    The hero said so, but what could these bumpkins do?

    The only thing the villagers could do was heal. Thats when it happened.

    Mimic! Mimimic!

    It was a mimic, Miming. The startled hero shouted.

    Mimic?! Why is there a mimic here!

    The villagers tilted their heads. To them, Miming was just a wooden box for disposing of food waste. The hero, who had drawn his holy sword, explained.

    Thats a monster. It lives only in the dungeons of the demon race, in the very depths! How did it get here?!

    No! Miming is very nice!

    The old man who was still young cried out. He quickly hugged Miming with both arms. The hero yelled.

    Put it down right now! Thats a very dangerous monster!

    No! Miming is! Miming is!

    The villagers blocked the childs front as they watched the quarrel between the hero and the child. The village chief at that time, the old mans grandfather, said.

    Hero. The important thing right now is not this child.

    The hero, who had frowned at the chiefs words, sighed.

    I see. I understand.

    The hero put away his holy sword and nodded. He could deal with the mimic anytime. The problem was the marquis-level demon.

    Then, the mimic jumped out of the childs arms and bounced to the front of the hero.

    Mimic! Mimimic!

    What?

    Miming closed the lid and turned into a wooden box.

    The hero, who had the purpose of defeating the demon king, felt it.

    The hero, who had finished off the duke, walked slowly and knelt down in front of Mimic, who was held by the old man.

    The Mimics eyes turned towards the warrior, and a soft whimper elicited a nod from him.

    Mimic

    Yes, its done. Ive incinerated it completely, leaving no ash behind, not even with holy power.

    The Mimics lid rattled, and the warrior and villagers thought it was Mimic smiling.

    The old man, who first met Mimic and brought it to the village, continued to weep.

    Youve done well. Thanks to you, the villagers are safe, and I was able to deal with the Count. Thank you.

    Mimic

    The warrior knew, unlike other monsters, this small one was special.

    In the warriors lifetime, such a kind monster as this Mimic was the first and would be the last.

    The breath of the Mimic grew faint. Something rolled out from the broken body of the now-dead Mimic.

    Seeing it, a child burst into tears. It was a small, round stone the child had given as a gift to Mimic.

    And so, Mimic died at the hands of the monster. The warrior and villagers built a fountain and a statue in the place where Mimic lay, as a token of gratitude.

    Mimic, thank you!

    Poor Mimic!

    The children sobbed. The old man smiled, reminiscing about a long-lost dear friend.

    Behind the old man, atop a beautifully spraying fountain, stood a statue.

    It was a statue of Mimic, with its wooden lid open and a bright smile.

    The once-small village had grown significantly since then. The warrior had defeated the Demon King and settled in this village.

    He was granted a title and a large tract of land that included the village as his domain, which he governed peacefully ever after.

    Lady Elizabeth is here!

    The children sprang up and ran towards a carriage adorned with the emblem of a wooden box.

    They were eager to see Elizabeth, the warriors great-granddaughter.

    As the carriage window opened, a young girl peeked out.

    The old man chuckled, reminded of the warriors face by the girls visage.

    Then someone sat down next to the old man.

    Its been a while.

    Indeed.

    You always come here. Every year on this day.

    The middle-aged man with flecks of white in his hair smiled gently. He felt at ease whenever he visited this village, this place.

    Today is the day Mimic died, isnt it?

    The middle-aged man, the warrior, looked at the old man. The once-small child had aged so much.

    The warrior, aging very slowly by the grace of the gods, kept his identity hidden and roamed around, but every year on this day, he returned to this village.

    Yes, its already been that long. Time flies as you age.

    The old man laughed. The warriors gaze turned to his great-granddaughters carriage. Seeing the emblem of the wooden box, he felt a sense of pride.

    The king had asked, What would you like for your emblem?

    The warrior had replied, A wooden box.

    Unable to say Mimic, the wooden box wrapped in laurel became the warriors emblem.

    That little one was truly special.

    Yes, a very kind and good friend.

    The warrior looked up at the clear blue sky, feeling uplifted.

    I wonder what the gods have in store for it in its next life?

    Another life, huh The old man chuckled.

    Perhaps its charming others just as it did us.

    Yes, that sounds about right.

    The warrior smiled, remembering the precious bond with the Mimic, however brief it had been.

    The Mimic, having charmed both the warrior and the high-ranking demon, is now preparing for its next enchantment.

    Seo Jun, lets get ready for the shoot!

    Seo Jun clenched his tiny hands, determined to sell out completely.

    So, the next life

    The old man chuckled.

    Are you still tempting other people?

    Yeah. I guess so.

    The hero smiled as he remembered Mimic, a precious bond he had formed in a brief encounter.

    Mimic, who had seduced both the hero and the marquis-level demon, was now preparing for another temptation!

    Seo-jun, Ill get ready for the shoot!

    Seo-jun clenched his tiny hands and vowed to sell out his book.