Chapter 57- Like ability and a Sense of Kinship (1)

“What? Do you have something to say?”

At Gael's gruff tone, the young Jing stealthily relaxed his hardened mouth.

“Priest, aren't you tired? There’s medicinal water, like a good restorative, springing up near here.”

“What?”

Gael stared at the young Jing like he was a madman.

Jing was the same.

What is that guy suddenly spouting now?

But the young Jing continued speaking, undeterred by people’s stares.

“I’m an expert on the geography around here. It’s my job to roam around here and there, you see. Hehe. If you just go around that tree over there, there’s a pond that was discovered a while ago. It's not only good for headaches, toothaches, and menstrual pain, but even!”

He, who was explaining with exaggerated arm swings, glanced at the priests gathered nearby and lowered his voice.

“They say it’s also that good for vigor.”

“What, this madman!”

Gael, who had been listening intently without realizing it, had a fit at the young Jing's rudeness, mentioning vigor to a priest of the temple.

“Are you daring to mock me right now? What use is vigor to priests who listen to the word of god!”

Gael reprimanded the young Jing, feigning scolding, but the old Jing read the unconcealable desire in his eyes.

“Aigoo, of course you have no need for it, Priest. But for those like us, it’s just too sad to miss this opportunity. Couldn’t you, the benevolent priests, overlook the situation of these foolish ones who have not yet abandoned their desires? This, too, could be a way of looking after the people of Abalan.”

At the silver tongue that skillfully flattered the priest, the tail of Gael's raised eyebrow slowly lowered.

“Th-that's right. That, too, is a way to care for you foolish and pitiful people.”

“Of course, of course. In any case, isn't it about time to rest? Your throat must be dry, so if you sit and wait, I’ll quickly fetch a cup and present it to you. I heard from the knights over there that Gael is busy with temple work and suffers from headaches every day from straining himself.”

“Hmm.”

Of course, no one had ever praised him, who lazed about and ate at the temple every day, but the young Jing fabricated the words well.

Thanks to that, Gael, packaged as a person who needed medicine good for headaches, definitely not medicine good for vigor, stealthily glanced at everyone.

“Fine, then let us rest here for just a moment.”

“Aigoo, thank you! As expected of the Priest!”

The young Jing gave two thumbs up, moved away from Gael, and returned to his spot.

“Is it true that water good for headaches, toothaches, menstrual pain, and even vigor is really springing up?”

Jing asked, frowning, and the young Jing’s eyes widened.

“Ehh~? How could that be? If something like that existed, people would have already taken it all and it would have dried up long ago. Those people seem to be easily fooled because they’ve never been tricked in their lives, but Jing, you shouldn't fall for this medicine peddler's speechcraft, should you?”

At the shameless answer, Jing didn't know whether to be dumbfounded or angry, and just laughed.

The man called young Jing was a chatterbox, but at least an amusing chatterbox.

***

It seemed that if you mixed the truth with half-lies, a plausible lie was completed.

Because there was, at any rate, a pond in the forest Jing had guided them to.

Following his lead, the group stopped the carriage a little off the path to the capital.

In a place that seemed like a beast's trail rather than a human path, a small, deep pond truly sat quietly, just as he’d said.

Although, no matter how you looked at it, it seemed to be nothing more than ordinary water.

He filled a water bottle and covertly handed it to Gael, and Gael accepted it, feigning he had no choice.

He seemed to be trying his best to feign composure, but Gael couldn't manage to hide the corners of his mouth from turning up slightly.

His mood brightened, and he gave the command that it was fine to distribute the food he had packed to everyone, then went inside that luxurious carriage of his.

Even so, it was an act of kindness that amounted to just a scrap of bread, but it was also a show of generosity that there was no reason to be unhappy about.

In any case, peace had come to Gael in his own way, and to the children in theirs.

“Now~ Who's the next hungry fellow!”

Jing’s peace, however, was not intact, thanks to his namesake who was excitedly handing out his own share of bread to the children.

“Mister, give me some too, me too!”

“Ahem, mister! Why use that, when you have the fine words 'Older brother' or 'Older brother-nim'!”

“Ayy, you look similar to my dad.”

“That’s right, you're totally a mister! Mister!”

“You rascals!”

At the playful scolding, the children scattered, giggling.

Jing tossed his own half-cut share of food toward him, who hadn't eaten a single piece of bread himself.

The young Jing quickly caught it.

“You take very good care of the children.”

“Yes. I have a child, too. Of course, I understand it's hard to believe that someone as young as me has started a family.”

He smiled, speaking affably, and shifted his spot slightly to the side so Jing could sit comfortably.

Jing sat down beside him, thinking that his good personality would stand out more if he just kept his mouth shut.

And he hinted at the reason he had approached the young man.

“If you’ve been away from your family, do you not know how they are at all?”

The young Jing showed a troubled expression for a moment.

“The truth is…… I've never once gone home.”

“What? Haven't you been living this life for quite a while?”

Jing couldn't hide his surprised expression this time.

“It's been about 10 years.”

Jing's mouth fell open slightly as he looked at him, his voice gradually getting smaller as if embarrassed.

“You mean you haven't been home once during that time?”

“No! I kept visiting for the first year. I send money regularly, too. But I haven't been able to go home.”

In the end, it meant he was returning home for the first time in 9 years.

He trailed off, then lowered his head like a criminal, and continued, stammering with a tearful face.

“S-so, I'm actually a little scared.”

Jing suppressed the urge to snatch the bread in his hands back.

Because everyone had their own circumstances.

“Why didn't you go until now?”

“Well, because I had no money. I have to offer tribute to the temple, and after I do that, I have no money left in my hands. After sending money to my wife and child, there’s nothing left. To earn a lot, I have to take dangerous jobs, but I don't want to risk my life, so I ended up working in farther and farther places, and so……”

“What is it, Jing! Who are you bothering this time?”

A thick voice suddenly cut in between the two.

Jing raised his head and looked at the men walking toward him and the young Jing.

Several men, who looked like they had lived rough lives even at first glance, put their arms around Jing’s shoulder and took their seats.

Jing felt somewhat embarrassed as he saw them checking Jing's surroundings and confirming Ratel's absence even as they sat, so he made room to his side.

“Hmm hmm, I’ve wanted to greet you at least once before. Your skills are amazing, you know?”

He didn't feel any malice from the way they stealthily struck up a conversation with Jing.

“You've talked to him, so you know, but this guy, he just talks too much. He's not a bad guy. Please understand even if he bothers you.”

“Too much talk? I was in the middle of a deep conversation about life with this man.”

“What substance is there to talk deeply about in a life of just wandering here and there?”

Jing was a little dazed, but he didn't feel too bad.

Anyhow, when he was with Ratel, he never got a chance to talk to other people.

“My name is Jing. I’m going to the capital to meet my family.”

“Oh! If it’s Jing, then your name is the same as this guy. This guy also said he's going to the capital to see his wife and son.”

“Yeah, we were just talking about that. I told you it was a deep story, didn't I?”

When the young Jing grumbled, the men nodded absently and turned the topic to Jing.

“Everyone’s situation is similar. We come out to earn money, and just end up wandering farther outside. Still, we’re a bit better off. Aren’t we better than those guys who can’t pay the tribute at all and send their entire families to Hodie?”

Everyone sitting around him responded to him as he raised his voice proudly.

“That’s right, we’re not those kinds of guys who do wrong by our families!”

Jing tried to calm his churning stomach as he watched the expression of the young Jing, who had been disheartened until just now, brighten considerably.

Their appearance, dedicating everything to the temple and the Imperial family, overlapped with himself from just a few months ago.

Was it this disgusting?

Excited, they continued the story, not noticing Jing's expression gradually darkening.

“Still, Jing, oh, no, I meant the young Jing. Goodness, it's confusing because the names are the same.”

One of the men who had called the young Jing laughed awkwardly and brought up another topic.

“It was a really excellent choice not to delay your return any longer. I hear that the number of people who have lost their place in the capital is increasing greatly.”

“Is that true? For what reason?”

The young Jing and the other men’s eyes lit up, and they gathered closer to the man who had brought up the story.

“I heard that the people who were living as vagrants in the center of the capital are being captured and taken away. I also heard that once you’re captured, you have to do hard forced labor.”

“The center of the capital, you mean, the square near the temple?”

Jing, who had been silently listening to the man's words, asked as if possessed, moving closer to him.

“Yes, that's right. As expected, you know too, old sir. Well, it was quite the talk. A while ago, that Duke from the Piteos family got greedy for that spot, went against the Imperial family's will, and was executed.”

Jing waited for his next words, as it wasn't surprising or unfair that the Duke of Piteos's end was being spread among the commoners in such a way.

“Whether it’s to clean up the aftermath, or what, the fellow who’s the Acting Head of Family, or something, is sweeping that whole area clean. They also said that after cleaning it up, they’ll give it to the original owner.”

Everyone gathered in this place knew who 'the original owner' referred to.

“Who did you hear that from?”

Jing asked, suppressing his trembling voice.

The man looked at Jing, who had suddenly become full of questions, with curiosity, but he obediently continued his answer.

“There was a man who came from the capital. He said he went through hell doing hard labor there. I heard he escaped as soon as he got his money.”

“He must have a conscience, at least. Seeing as he worked people and still paid them.”

“They couldn't do any more dirty deeds while building a structure dedicated to god.”

The men’s conversation continued.

None of them noticed Jing, who had gone quiet from clenching his teeth.

It was Tollin.

He had handled the messy task left behind by the irresponsible Head of Family.

Because Tollin, though he always grumbled, was someone who listened to his words in the end.

Jing's lips curled up at the news of Tollin, heard albeit indirectly, which was just so like him.

Unfortunately, the time Jing could miss his old friend was not very long.

“Just because they do that, can those bastards, who were abandoned by god once, receive salvation? It’s a useless struggle.”

The man who had brought up the topic of the capital's situation added with a smirk.

“It seems that struggling because they're afraid of being abandoned by god is the same for nobles and the lowly ones.”

Jing felt his head go cold at the obvious ridicule.

“Didn't they say he already went against the Emperor's will once? Then it's the end. What useless thing are they trying to do.”

“Isn't it good for us? They're even handing out free food, you have to suck the sweet juice while you can.”

“Still, it feels strange to see that famous Piteos family fall that far to the bottom.”

Unstoppable sarcasm and jeers flowed from their mouths, pressing down on Jing's head.

Emptiness, along with deep anger, visited him.

It wasn't that he hadn't expected the Piteos family's prestige to fall due to the choice at the hunting competition.

No, even though he had expected it, the reason his heart sank like this was probably because he had subconsciously thought that, for the Piteos family, the choice he made might end as just Agoni Piteos's personal, wrong choice.

He had thought that his death might be enough to cover up that small disobedience, which was ambiguous to even call rebellion, that his death might be worth that much. He had had such arrogant thoughts.

Even if he went back to that situation, he probably wouldn't make a different choice.

Because he would have regretted it more if he hadn't.

But hearing the Piteos family, which people used to just bow their heads to, being spoken of so lowly, even by the mouths of these people, made his heart heavy.

“I hear the next Head of Family, or Acting Head of Family, or whatever, is doing all sorts of dirty deeds. A fitting sight for that family.”

As the continuing, nonsensical false rumor disparaged his friend, Jing stood up from his seat without realizing it.

“Get lost.”

At the chillingly cold voice, the men's ridicule finally subsided.