Chapter 134 – 134. The Duke’s Eighth Disruption (8)
– One –
Aaaaa!
Aaaaagh!
As dawn breaks, a huge rupture, like a leather bag bursting, shakes the town.
“What, what!”
“What do you mean?”
“There was a loud noise in the village headman’s house…?”
“Let’s go!”
“Wait, wouldn’t it be dangerous…?”
“The chief may be in danger too! Let’s go for now!”
Villagers pour into the streets.
Mondavi and Robert were hiding at the entrance of the village, watching the commotion.
“Mondavi… They said he had something to do… Did you, that, that, that, that, you…?”
He trembles and asks Mondavi a question.
“Yes.”
She firmly nodded her head.
It did not add who, what, how or why.
She just calmly confesses that she did it.
He became afraid to ask more questions.
“Stop going back, brother Robert.”
“Still…”
“I’m really fine. So,”
Aaaaagh!
What is this!
Hee,hee hee!
As Mondavi tries to send him back, screams from residents are heard in the distance.
Robert trembles.
The direction the screams came from was the direction of the village headman’s house.
“Go back quickly.”
“Mondavi…”
Mondavi accompanied Robert all night, talking about various things.
Neither of them tacitly mentioned what happened to them after being taken away by the soldiers.
Robert just told me about what happened in the village after Mondavi was taken away.
Because Mondavi was curious about it.
“It’s just around the corner, it’s my house. Now I can go by myself.”
“That…”
When she heard Robert’s story, she was sick of everyone in town.
They looked down on her parents, fearing that they would spark something useless.
Even though she knew she was not guilty, she completely ignored her parents who cried out to the soldiers to go to petition together.
Fearing that they would be disadvantaged, they pointed out their ugliness and left the dead body of the old Bombay woman unattended.
But they didn’t even criticize the village chief, Casillero, and Hadith, who must have been innocent of Mondavi.
They thoroughly took care of their own comfort, and volunteered to remain as bystanders thoroughly from everything.
“Brother Robert.”
“Uh, uh uh.”
If there hadn’t been any interaction with them from the beginning, if there hadn’t been any relationship, she wouldn’t have been disappointed either.
But they are not.
All of them, all of the inhabitants of this village, owe Mondavi her life.
It is not an exaggeration to say that this village, a slash-and-burn village in a mountain valley where water is precious, is maintained by Mondavi.
In this barren mountain village where water is scarce, from farming to consumption, the water produced by Mondavi was sustaining their very existence.
Such people, people who always asked for help whenever they had a hard time getting water, but when her misfortune struck, they completely turned a blind eye to it.
“And if you can, take your family and get out of here as soon as possible.”
“What is that?”
Mondavi knows.
I also know that it was far beyond their abilities.
But, unless a miracle happened, couldn’t they have given at least some condolences for themselves who were dragged to a place where they were almost certain to die?
According to Robert, they refused to even express their regret.
It was for the reason that even that could give them room for sparks to fly.
It is said that as soon as she was taken away by the soldiers, she and her parents became people who never existed in the village in the first place.
“Shh.”
Swoop.
“…!”
Meanwhile, Robert was the only one wept for her.
She patted the shoulders of those who had turned their backs to plead with her.
She alone comforted her parents and grieved with them.
He was the only one who recovered the remains of Grandmother Bombay.
Charrrr
So she wanted to repay him as much as possible.
So she, she handed him one of her purses that she had taken from killing soldiers.
Through the cracks in its closed muzzle, a brilliant yellow light unique to gold coins leaked out.
Doo-kung, doo-kung, doo-kung, doo-kung!
Robert’s heart beats wildly.
He was not excited because he had unimaginably large sums in his hands.
His heart fluttered as he saw blood stained red on the outside of the pocket.
“This, where did you get this money, Mondavi? That, that, compensation for misunderstanding by the masters,”
“It’s not like that, I killed all the trash and brought it to me, Robert.”
“…!”
Robert is stunned and unable to continue his speech.
Soon, his face was stained with sadness.
The thought that an innocent slash-and-burn girl had killed as many as 50 people just to live her life made him heartbroken.
“Are you… Are you really okay…?”
“Yes. They were not people, but less than animal trash. Thinking that I just cleaned them up, I feel comfortable.”
Whether it was empty words or not, Mondavi was grinning.
“That, the village chief, and the other two…?”
“Yes. The garbage has been cleaned.”
“Oh my god…”
How would a man feel when he hears from the woman he has a deep crush on her, her confession about the mass murder she committed?
Mondavi suddenly became curious about it.
But she didn’t want to ask him.
“Brother, take this money and go somewhere. Go somewhere quiet with your family.”
“…Is it because he, sir, no, killed all the scum?”
“Yes. I don’t know what will happen, but the nobles who sent them will never sit still.”
“…I see…You…What are you planning to do?”
“Me?”
Before Mondavi could even come up with an answer,
Aaaaagh!
You crazy bastard!
This money is my money!
Stop!
Everyone should be divided equally according to the number of heads!
Nimmy, then you guys who cover up the kid and act cheap are all going to eat it!
An unexpected quarrel broke out in the village.
Surrounding the village chief’s house, most of the villagers were gathered there.
Instead of collecting the bodies inside the village chief’s house, they grabbed each other by the collar or slammed each other on the floor.
“Ah…”
Mondavi then remembered the pouch in the village chief’s house.
It was, apparently, a reward of 300 silver coins, which Casillero received from the soldiers in the name of migration and settlement support.
Her brows are getting more and more frowned upon.
Aaaaagh!
Mmm crazy!
Murder!
Stop that bastard!
Villagers are killing each other.
It seemed that by eliminating the competition, the lone eventual winner would take the money.
Sigh.
A door opens near where they were.
“My God… What the hell were those people thinking…”
“It’s been less than a day since the uproar started…”
“Your daughter’s whereabouts are unknown, and there’s no word on where our son went after making that mess, but those people are going crazy. What are they all thinking, won?”
“That’s right…”
“More than that, honey. Doesn’t this put us in danger too? I think all of those people have gone mad.”
“If I tell you that I don’t intend to have money, is there anything wrong?”
They were the parents of Mondavi and Robert.
Robert’s parents came to Mondavi’s house and were comforting Mondavi’s parents who would be full of her worries.
“… Mom and dad.”
“Daughter…?”
“Mo, Mondavini?”
Her parents from Mondavi came running and pulled her into her arms.
From the way she behaved, they must have known what kind of hardships she had been through.
But nothing was said about it.
Just that she came back alive, they were just grateful, and again, thankful.
“Robert! Where have you been? Are you coming now?”
“Oh, you stupid bastard!
Fuck!
Robert’s mother smacked him in the middle of the back with the palm of her hand.
“Sorry…”
“So, did you bury the old man well?”
“Yes… I was sending the elder, but I met Mondavi and came into the village together.”
“Good job.”
Robert’s parents looked slightly proud of their child.
After each greeted her family, Mondavi looked back at Robert.
“Brother Robert.”
“Yes, Mondavi.”
“Remember my words. I’m leaving right now, even today.”
“Uh, uh… I get it.”
The conversation between the two was not interfered with by their parents.
However, I only guessed that something serious was going on before they came out.
It was then.
“Keu, keuuk…!”
One of their neighbors staggered over.
“Oh, no, hey…!”
The man, with his optic nerve bundle hanging down, slowly approached them.
No, it wasn’t just the optic nerve bundle.
He had a long slit across his abdomen.
He staggered away, clutching at his leaking intestines.
“If I kill six of you…! That money is all mine!”
“Mi-crazy…!”
“Oh my god…”
Robert’s parents vomit in astonishment.
Mondavi’s parents take their daughter and carefully try to step back.
Chin.
“Mom, Dad. It’s okay.”
Mondavi shakes off her parents and stops.
And she unleashes this power of hers.
Fill his lungs and stomach with water.
“Hey, that way eh!
Charrrr.
Rumble.
But his stomach is not filled with water.
This is because water is constantly draining through the torn small intestine.
Dump.
“Kreuk, kkeukreuk…”
He soon passed out.
Even if left alone, he would have died within minutes.
“Uh, uh… What’s going on with this…?”
“Well, did all the villagers really die…?”
“… Find survivors first,”
Robert and Mondavi’s parents try to find survivors,
“There’s no need for that. They’re all dead.”
Mondavi dries them.
Her father in Mondavi looks at her with her stern eyes.
“Mondavi.”
“Yes, Dad.”
“Are you sure you killed him?”
“Yes. It was garbage that would die soon if left alone, but it’s true that I cut off its breath.”
“You…”
Her father doesn’t speak easily.
He tried to ask a question but kept his mouth shut several times.
“The scum that dragged me and raped me, the scum that framed me, the scum that just tried to kill us, all, all, I, myself, sorted it out.”
So, before I even got her question, she gave me an answer.
Her parents close her eyes tightly.
Hearing her words, Robert’s parents had tears in their eyes.
“Then, what should we do now? If we remain here, we will surely all die. No, it may not end with death…”
“I am”
– 2 –
“Robert brother, stop going. If you go further, you won’t be able to follow your parents.”
“Mondavi,”
“No, I do not want.”
“…”
Robert was rejected before he could even get his word out.
Is this what it feels like to be dumped before you even confess?
Before her, whenever she confessed herself, she would at least listen to her own words, but this time, before she even spoke her words, she was too firm in her refusal.
Feeling the fact that she was deeply hurt by her heart, he wanted to take care of her.
“I told my parents I wasn’t following them. I gave them all the money. So are you.”
“…”
Mondavi didn’t seem to be paying attention to him at all.
But Robert was sure she was listening to her own words.
It was because she didn’t miss the trembling of her clenched fists.
“Are you thinking of committing something?”
“…”
“I’m not going to ask you to date or get married.”
“…”
“Just, just let me help you with your work. I’m just your assistant?
“…”
“I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but if it’s hard to do alone, come with me.”
Tears form in Mondavi’s eyes.
She finally turns to Robert.
“Brother. Robert’s brother.”
“Oh, tell me.”
“I… I don’t have any really good memories in this town…”
Sobs are mixed in her voice.
“All of them are the people at the very bottom of this country, this world… But on that subject, the pure race discriminates against the sub-race. I, my family, even in this small, low-class village, are at the bottom. They were people who went down and lived through it.”
“Know.”
“That’s why I didn’t want to get married. I didn’t want to marry anyone, not just my brother. I left my blood as a race, so I couldn’t have the confidence to watch my children live discriminated against like this…”
“I know that too.”
“And I, yesterday, experienced something unspeakable.”
“…”
Robert’s eyes were also wet.
“The people who lived by begging me for water, and the people who said they would always help me when I was in trouble, everyone abandoned me and my family when difficulties came.”
“It did…”
“And for a few pennies, he tried to kill us all…”
“Huh…”
“I really want to get away from everything that has to do with that terrible town that gave me such terrible memories.”
“I understand…”
It was sincere.
Because he was also a subspecies.
His situation, even until yesterday morning, was not much different from Mondavi.
No, he couldn’t make water, maybe he was in a worse position than Mondavi.
“So I didn’t want to go with my brother either.”
Whiik.
Robert’s head turns toward Mondavi.
Because in her words, she found room to want to be with him.
“But…”
“Huh.”
“But, if I’m with my brother…”
“Huh.”
“I think my older brother will always be a good piece of evidence to chew the cud of my anger.”
“I see…”
Prison.
She falls into Robert’s arms.
“Brother.”
“Yes, Mondavi.”
“I’m not going to love you.”
“Okay…”
“I’m not going to marry your brother.”
“Okay.”
“But, with my brother by my side, I will use it to chew my cud someday.”
“It’s okay though.”
“And when I pour out my anger, I will use you too.”
“However much.”
“If that’s all right,”
“It’s okay though.”
“Come with me.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Squeak.
She breaks free from Robert’s arms.
Robert felt her body temperature receding and soothed her regret.
He turns his head toward the distance.
Its direction is not clear.
Because they have nowhere to go.
No.
There are many places where you can go anywhere.
But I just couldn’t decide where it was.
“So, Mondavi.”
“Yes, brother.”
“Where are you planning to go?”
“…”
Mondavi’s troubles continue.
She gets a long silence.
“Shall we go down first? Shall we go down and decide where to go?”
When Robert pressed on to her,
“… South.”
She gives her answer
“South?”
“Yes.”
“Is there any particular reason?”
“Last time I went out to buy her necessities, I heard rumors that war might break out in the north.”
“I see.”
“For now, we should avoid war.”
“Why not East or West?”
“There’s a lot of wealthy people living there, so it’s hard for slash-and-burn farmers like us to mix in. You’ll be noticed right away.”
“I see. I’ll have to get used to working in the mines for a while.”
“Whoops. Yes.”
Seruk.
Back.
Robert’s eyes widen.
This is because Mondavi took his hand and put the pod first.
“Brother.”
“Uh, uh…?”
“Song.”
“Uh, uh…”
After Robert’s bewildered answer, they hurried on, remaining silent.
So, they caressed each other’s wounds and headed south, south.
Tumble, Tumble.