SNAP!
The fragile carriage, teetering on the verge of breakdown during its long journey, finally succumbed.
“Oh dear,” said the old man, his balance now disrupted.
“I apologize, sir, but one wheel of the carriage seems to have broken,” explained the coachman from outside.
Sighing at the servant’s words, the old man leaned out of the window. “How far is the nearest town?”
The coachman, now positioned in front of the window, anxiously scratched his head before responding, “Well, Gorn is the closest commoner village, about three hours away.”
“It looks as if there’s a better option,” said the old man with an inquisitive tone.
The servant, clearly uncomfortable, lowered his gaze and confessed. “There’s actually a closer village ten minutes away, but sir, that village is reserved for nerics.” The coachman couldn’t help but coat the end of his statement with disgust. “And sir, considering the broken wheel, Gorn is our best bet for repairs. The neric village likely won’t have the materials needed.”
Nerics. It’s been a while since the old man has heard of such an existence. He has spent most of his life in the capital, after all. However, fear of the unknown was not enough to alleviate his fatigue and compel him to endure a three-hour trip.
After noticing the tired look on the old man’s face, the coachman spoke up once again.
“Sir! We can both mount the horse, even if the trip might take a little long–”
Before the servant could finish the suggestion, the old man gave him an annoyed wave.
“It’s alright. I’ll just stay in the neric village. At the end of the day, they’re still people, aren’t they?”
Unable to contend with the old man’s decision, the coachman sighed and nervously glanced in the direction of the neric village.
“Alright… But don’t worry! I’ll definitely arrive in half a fortnight to save you from those barbarians!”
The old man chuckled at the determination on the young servant’s face. “You do that.”
* * *
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday, dear Elric.
Happy birthday to you!
The now-six-year-old boy, with hair as dark as the night and eyes as bright as amethyst, gleefully clapped as his parents and aunt sang him the birthday song. Without hesitation, he blew out the candle tucked inside a single muffin as the song came to an end.
“What did you wish for Elric?” asked Elia, the boy’s mother.
Elric’s face lit up with an innocent smile as he looked at his family gathered around him. With a twinkle in his eye, he replied, “I wished to marry Aunt Serena.”
The room fell into a brief silence before bursts of laughter erupted from the amused adults. Such boisterous laughter created a joyous atmosphere that filled the entire room. Elric, puzzled, looked around, wondering what was so funny about his birthday wish.
Serena, used to Elric’s frequent proposals, wiped the tears that welled up in the corner of her eyes and ruffled the boy’s hair. “Oh, Elric,” she teased.
Fervently reaching into his pocket, Elric took out the ring he had crafted from a simple wildflower outside. “I’m serious!” he proclaimed. Serena and his mother were unable to stifle their laughter. While the trio enjoyed the merriment, Elric’s father, Maurim, went to answer a knock at the door.
Tip, the son of the village chief, had arrived to inform him that a nobleman had sought shelter in their village. As the only inn owner in Vailee, Maurim would have to house him during his stay.
“Does he look dangerous?” asked Maurim. His top priority was his family, but rejecting a nobleman could lead to the destruction of his entire village.
“Not really. He looks like a regular old man. Apparently, his carriage wheel broke, and he was too tired to continue to Gorn,” replied Tip.
Maurim rubbed his temples and leaned against his raggedy door frame.
A nobleman that wants to stay in a neric village? What a predicament.
As Maurim pondered the predicament, he gazed out at the humble surroundings of Vailee. The village, nestled amidst rolling hills and dense forests, was far removed from the grandeur and opulence usually associated with nobles. The extremely rundown buildings, worn but full of character, bore witness to the simple life the villagers led.
He turned his attention back to Tip. “If he’s just a tired old man, it should be no problem to accommodate him. But make it clear that we are a small village with limited resources.”
Tip nodded and headed back to escort the weary nobleman. Maurim, with a sigh, wondered how this unexpected guest would impact the peace of their close-knit community.
It didn’t take long for Tip to return, and behind him stood the nobleman.
He really was just an old man, Maurim thought.
The nobleman looked fatigued but grateful. “Thank you for your hospitality,” he politely said as he extended out his hand. “My name is Linus Carlisle. I’m a baron who works as the head chef inside the royal palace.”
Chef?! For a moment, Maurim’s brown eyes shone brightly as he realized that he shared a profession with this nobleman. However, the excitement quickly dwindled as he knew he would never stand on par with such an individual, and it was embarrassing to think so.
Offering a hesitant smile and shaking Linus’ hand, Maurim finally replied.
“I’m Maurim Sinclair. It’s not every day we have a noble guest in Vailee. Please, make yourself welcome.”
As the nobleman settled in, Maurim couldn’t dispel the feeling of unease. A nobleman in a neric village was certainly an anomaly, and the repercussions of this encounter were uncertain.
If this is fate, Maurim thought, I hope it isn’t too cruel on us.
* * *
Linus hadn’t anticipated much as he ventured into the strange village named Vailee. However, as he dove deeper into the inn where he planned to stay, he encountered deplorable conditions that exceeded even his modest expectations.
The building featured peeling paint and wooden floors that creaked with every step. A pervasive damp smell hung in the air, hinting at the presence of hidden mold and long-neglected maintenance issues.
Should I have just endured and traveled to Gorn? Linus thought regretfully.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of laughter. Glancing behind him, he saw the inn owner, Maurim, still talking to Tip, the son of the village chief he had met earlier. Paying little heed, Linus traced the sound of laughter until his presence alone made it cease.
“A…customer?” asked a woman with dull blonde hair and hazel eyes.
Linus had wandered to the kitchen of the inn.
“Ah! Elia! Serena! This is Lord Carlisle. He’s a baron who will stay with us for half a fortnight,” said a rushed Maurim, who finally finished his conversation with Tip.
“Baron?!” Elia sputtered, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear in an attempt to better present herself. “I am Elia Sinclair. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Carlisle,” she said with an awkward bow. Serena followed suit.
“It’s an honor to make your acquaintance, Lord Carlisle. I am Serena Nichols.”
Sensing the tense atmosphere he caused, Linus gave a laugh.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you ladies as well. No need to be so formal; you can just address me as Linus.”
“How could we dar–”
Gurgle.
Linus’ stomach had interrupted Elia.
“It’s really no issue. However, I am quite famished; could you provide a meal for me?”
Elia’s face slowly turned pink. “Ahh…”
“Meal preparation is more of my job,” Maurim interjected from behind. “I’ll get started right away.”
Happy that he would finally get something to eat after a long day, Linus took a seat, and it was then that he finally noticed the young child that hid behind the legs of the woman named Serena.
“Oh, and who might you be?”
The young child revealed himself, and his purple eyes glowed beautifully in the dimly lit kitchen.
“I’m Elric.”
“Is it your birthday today, Elric?” Linus had noticed the half-eaten decorated muffin that sat on the table.
Elric nodded.
Thinking of how to put the child at ease, Linus had an idea.
“Hmm, as a present, would you like to see something amazing?”
Elric nodded again.
In an instant, Linus twisted his hand, and a large flame shot out of his palm.
Elric stood there, mouth agape in astonishment.
It was the first time he had seen magic.
* * *
Four days had passed, and during this time, Linus reached two conclusions. Firstly, he realized that nerics were not nearly as barbaric as they were rumored. If they could use mana, they would be no different from an average commoner village. Their extreme poverty was not a fault of their own, but of the Selis kingdom that had abandoned them. Linus felt ashamed that he once entertained such prejudiced thoughts about them.
The second thing Linus concluded was that the man, Maurim Sinclair, was a food genius. Reminiscing about the first day he arrived in Vailee, Linus was surprised at the first meal he tasted.
“This is delicious!”
Maurim gave a shy smile to Linus, who had complimented his cooking. “It’s nothing much,” he humbly replied.
“Nonsense! I can’t believe you created such an exotic taste using common ingredients.”
Elia smiled at her husband, whose face grew red from embarrassment.
“I’m glad you like it,” Maurim said sheepishly, rubbing his neck.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner became times of the day that Linus eagerly anticipated. Each meal continued to astound him. As a passionate chef, he collaborated with Maurim, delving into new recipes and sharing knowledge about exclusive ingredients only available to high nobility, fanning the growing flame of excitement in Maurim’s eyes.
Initially planning to travel to the Rolfe Grand Duchy to experiment with some rare but uninteresting ingredients, Linus considered the broken carriage wheel a blessing in disguise as it allowed him to experience something truly incredible.
It’s a waste.
That is what Linus thought about such a skilled man being confined to a rural village.
He’s too good to be here; with his skills, he’d immediately get hired in the capital. Wait, the capital?
“Mr. Linus!”
Elric’s young voice snapped Linus out of his thoughts. He and the boy were collecting silkberries for dessert.
“Yes Elric?”
“Are you married?”
Linus laughed. “Yes, I am.”
“Did you give your wife flowers?”
A bit taken aback by the sudden interrogation, Linus hesitantly answered, “Yes.”
Elric pouted. “Aunt Serena won’t become my wife no matter how many flowers I give her.”
Linus gave a hearty laugh at the boy’s resolve.
Serena was a woman who originally came from a neric village in the South, boasting dark skin and coily hair. However, after coming west and reaching Vailee, she met Elia. The two grew incredibly close, close enough to call themselves sisters. Now, Elia’s son calls her aunt. This is what Serena explained to Linus earlier during his stay.
“Maybe…” Elric drew out, “Maybe if I could use mana, Aunt Serena would marry me.”
The calm atmosphere suddenly turned gloomy; Linus regretted showing magic to the boy. Before he could say anything, Elia’s voice rang out.
“Elric! Lord Carlisle! It’s time for dinner!”
Elric helped Linus stand up before running in the direction of his home.
What a free boy. It’s going to be hard to survive in such a world.
Linus let out a heavy sigh and then slowly walked towards the inn.
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