TOPWL 60

“When the day breaks, I plan to take a look around the village, but you stay here and sleep a bit, Shane.”

“It is my duty to protect Your Highness. I cannot neglect that.”

Shane was stubborn. Yudit tried to persuade him a few more times, but it was futile.

“Alright then. Since it’s still dark, at least sleep on the bed for now.”

“That cannot be done.”

“It’s an order.”

Yudit, who wasn’t one to give orders often, managed to push his point. Shane hesitated, but Yudit’s determined tone made him relent. Yudit succeeded in getting Shane onto the bed. Shane lay down, his expression showing discomfort, his posture still rigid and formal. Yudit, who was awake and still staring at the ceiling, spoke.

“Thanks to you coming, I was able to sleep soundly last night. Sometimes, I’ll make it up to you.”

“…Your Highness, you are a strange person.”

“I hear that a lot.”

Yudit gently lowered Shane’s eyelids, but Shane didn’t lift them again. Yudit sat by the bed, lost in thought.

‘Your Highness will not survive if he cries and despair for long.’

Those words were what Bashur had said to Yudit while he was treating him after Yudit had been beaten by Hiore. Thanks to Yudit, Bashur, though a scholar, became more skilled than most in emergency care and wound treatment. While applying ointment to Yudit’s wound, he had spoken those words.

“There’s a saying: ‘It is better to return and weave the net, rather than coveting the fish in the river.’ Wipe away your tears and weave the net. Strong and tight.”

That day, Bashur had taught Yudit for over two hours while Yudit was burning with fever from his injuries. At the time, Yudit had been a little annoyed with him, but now, he understood Bashur perfectly. He must have been afraid. Afraid that this fragile prince, to whom he had grown attached, would one day be found, his body cold.

Yudit tapped his fingers on the floor in a rhythmic pattern. There were always unfavorable circumstances. Now was not the time to cry or despair. It was time to return and weave the net—strong and tight. Gradually, the morning light began to break through.

“Are you sure you don’t need more rest?”

“I’m fine.”

Less than two hours had passed since Shane had lain down, but he immediately got up. Though Yudit had said he could sleep more, Shane was resolute. The sounds from outside indicated that others had started their work, and Yudit gave up on getting Shane to sleep longer, deciding to head outside.

“Your Highness, ah, did you sleep well? How are you feeling?”

The innkeeper, who had been sweeping the floor, bowed so deeply that his head nearly touched the ground. Seeing him struggle with his awkward phrasing, Yudit smiled lightly.

“Just treat me comfortably. Thanks to the room you gave me, I slept soundly.”

“Ah, Your Highness, I’m honored… Should I prepare breakfast, or… may I have the honor of serving you a meal?”

The bond they had briefly shared over drinks the night before had already started to feel distant. Yudit nodded, and the innkeeper hurried off to the kitchen to place an order.

“To think that His Highness stayed at my inn…”

It wasn’t just the innkeeper who was surprised. Hess, who had been working in the kitchen, also looked uncertain when she saw Yudit. As Yudit sat down, Hess nervously placed a cup of water on the table, causing the wooden table to quickly absorb the spilled water.

Yudit took a sip of the remaining water and glanced around at the tavern in the morning light. The worn-out building showed signs of being repaired multiple times over the years. The mismatched wooden planks, patched together, gave it a kind of rough charm—though it could also be seen as unsightly. Repairs were expensive, so this was probably the best they could do.

Breakfast consisted of corn soup, dark rye bread, scrambled eggs, cheese, and goat’s milk—probably the best they could manage. Yudit dipped the hard rye bread into the hot soup. Shane cut the rye bread with a knife and put it in his mouth to soften it. Yudit gestured to Hess, who walked cautiously over to him.

“There’s a coachman in the stables. Please offer him a meal in the dining area, and if he refuses, bring him the same meal in the stables.”

“Understood.”

Hess nodded and left. Sure enough, when she returned, she had a tray of food for the coachman. After she returned, Yudit spoke.

“I want to take a look around the village. Can you find someone to guide me?”

Hess hesitated, then shook her head with a troubled expression.

“As for a guide for the village…”

Just then, someone barged through the tavern door with force. All eyes turned to the man.

“Bring me some alcohol!”

The man shouted as he sat down. The innkeeper glanced at Yudit before addressing the man.

“What’s this? Alcohol at this hour? Go inside and sleep a little more.”

“The damn monsters took all the crops from my field!”

The man slammed his fist on the table in frustration. As Shane stood up to intervene, Yudit shook his head. Shane silently resumed chewing on his rye bread.

“Well, why are you farming here? The monsters steal everything. Summer and fall crops are the same, but farming in early winter is madness.”

“I was just trying to survive! The harvest was almost ready! I was going to harvest in two days, damn it! Why is the alcohol taking so long?”

“There’s no alcohol right now. If you want some, go to another tavern. Though they won’t be selling at this hour either.”

“No alcohol in the tavern either! Damn it, life is tough, and the country isn’t doing anything to help us!”

“Hey, watch your words.”

“Why should I watch my words when you’re always cursing too?”

The innkeeper’s face turned pale. Before he could shut the man’s mouth, the man spoke again.

“Am I wrong? Whether we starve to death here or get attacked by monsters, the nobles are safe in their cushy places, laughing and throwing parties!”

“Stop that, shut your mouth…”

“Then why don’t you just go to the capital, huh?”

“What did you say? Who’s talking like that?”

The man, with eyes wide open like he was ready to charge, searched for the person who had spoken. Yudit raised a hand slightly and locked eyes with the man. He seemed to hesitate, intimidated by Shane’s imposing presence, and scowled.

“Are you an outsider? Don’t butt in when you don’t understand the situation.”

“That’s not what I meant. I was just curious. If it takes two or three hours by carriage to get to the capital, why not go live there or somewhere safe, if living here is so hard?”

Yudit pressed his finger against his lips, signaling the innkeeper to remain silent. The man, grumbling, stomped over to the table.

“Listen here, kid, I don’t think you get it. You can’t just throw away your hometown like that. Even if it’s miserable, it’s where my parents worked hard to build, and it’s where my children have to live.”

“But you said the monsters take all your crops. If you want to farm, wouldn’t it make more sense to do it somewhere that monsters don’t attack?”

“You’re just a naive little fool. Listen carefully. If you leave every time something goes wrong, you won’t have a place left to live in this world. You’ve got to think about fixing what’s bad and improving things as you go.”

“What efforts have you made, sir?”

The man’s face turned red with anger.

“You think I haven’t tried?”

“No, I was just curious.”

“I’ve tried! I’ve set up traps, stayed up for nights keeping watch, fought goblins and survived, and you’re asking me about my efforts? Who do you think you are?”

The man shouted in frustration. It seemed more like a flood of emotion than actual anger toward Yudit. The man reached out to grab Yudit by the collar. Shane stood up, his hand gripping his sword, ready to intervene. It seemed like things might escalate. Before Shane could make a move, Yudit stood up and suddenly pulled the man into an embrace. Everyone who had been anxiously watching froze. The most stunned was the man himself.

“What… what’s this? What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. If I hurt your feelings, I truly apologize.”

Yudit patted the man’s back.

“You’ve worked hard. You’ve done your best.”

“Fine, whatever, just let go.”

Despite his words, the man remained in Yudit’s embrace. Before long, the man started sobbing. Shane looked at Yudit in disbelief. The man, tears streaming down his face, cursed under his breath.

“Damn it, why are you suddenly hugging me like this? You scared me.”

It was as if the tears were a result of the shock, as the man continued to emphasize how surprised he was.