I observe Susan taking care of her shop with her husband.
Sigh, I guess I will just go back.
The villagers did not go to work after lunch, so I did not go either. I suppose even the hardworking villagers find it difficult to work under such a scorching sun.
'Since I have some free time, I should really figure out how this world works and why people treat me differently. But how do I do that?'
Forget it, I guess I will have to figure it out on my own.
I step out of my hut and approach Susan.
"Hello, Aunt Susan."
"Oh, Rohan, what is it?"
"Auntie, can you tell me how much a piece of bread costs?"
"A bread costs 1 copper coin."
'So, the bandits basically take 5 loaves of bread from each hut? Somehow, I feel bad for them. Poor bandits,' I think to myself, momentarily distracted by the bandits.
Refocusing, I ask Susan, "Aunt Susan, why didn't you take money from me when you gave me the bread?"
Susan looks at me for a moment and then suddenly gasps. "Oh yes, you are right, child! Why didn't I take the money from you? Thank you for reminding me. Please pay for the bread."
I stare at her, completely shocked by the sudden turn of events.
'What the heck does that mean? Did she really forget to take money from me twice?'
But...
I only have one copper coin with me right now.
I take out the single copper coin and hand it over to her.
She takes the coin and says, "Thank you, Rohan. You can buy another bread from me anytime."
'That's it? Don't you remember the second coin?'
I look at her silently and say, "Aunt Susan, did you forget that I took two breads from you?"
She looks at me again and gasps, "Oh yes, Rohan, please pay for the other bread."
'What the heck!' I exclaim internally.
'And I got myself into this mess,' I mutter.
Suddenly, a realization dawns on me as I look into Susan's eyes and say, "Aunt Susan, I think I should not pay for the bread."
"What? Why, Rohan?"
"Because the bread was not tasty at all."
Susan stares at me with a blank look and then says, "It was not tasty... yeah, that makes sense. Okay, Rohan, you don't have to pay for the bread," before returning to her work.
"She didn't argue. She believed me," I murmur as I walk back to my hut.
Now it all makes sense. Agnes, the villagers, and now Susan. They all just believe me when I say something.
But something is amiss. The bandits... they didn't believe me when I said I don't have the money... wait, they believed me when I said I don't have the money, but it has nothing to do with them.
Then why didn't Agnes get angry when I interrupted his intimate time? Does he enjoy being interrupted? He's still a mystery.
Wait, if my hypothesis is correct, then...
I rush back to Agnes' hut and knock on the door.
tak tak tak "Is anyone inside?"
I wait nervously and with some apprehension. "Will I get to see another show? cough cough"
I wait until Agnes opens the door. He is fully dressed.
'Aw man'
"Oh, Rohan, what is it?" he asks.
"Uncle Agnes, can I come inside?"
"Yes, sure."
I enter Agnes' hut and speak to him.
"Uncle Agnes, yesterday you gave the copper coins to the bandits for me. Thank you very much for it." Even though I don't really know the man, my thanks are heartfelt as God knows what would have happened to me if I had been captured by the bandits.
"It's nothing, kid. Just focus on learning how to farm, or you will die of starvation before the bandits could even get their hands on you."
'He didn't have to say it that way,' I think as I nod and continue.
"Uncle Agnes, can I ask you a question?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"Do you know who my parents are?"
Agnes stops and stares at me...
"What kind of question is that? Asking if I know your parents?" His voice grows louder towards the end.
"I... I... I just think of my parents badly, so I wanted to hear their tales from your mouth, Uncle."
I stutter as I finally hear the words from his mouth.
"Oh, so that's it. That makes sense."
I look at him wide-eyed as he repeats the exact same words.
"Your mother died while giving birth to you. She was very close friends with Betty," he says as Betty also joins us, listening to him speak.
"Even though your father was raising you alone, he was doing pretty well. That guy could wield an axe very skillfully."
'So, my father was also a woodcutter,' I think to myself as Agnes continues.
"We were really good friends, and life was going well until..." he clenches his fists tightly, lost in thought.
"Until the bandits arrived."
'Bandits? What does that have to do with... wait,' I ponder as something dreadful occurs to me, and I look at Agnes, waiting for him to continue.
"That day, when the bandits arrived, I was hot-blooded and fearless. I challenged them, and they beat me badly. I would have been killed if not for... if not for Harry intervening to save me. He motivated the villagers to fight the bandits. Together, we managed to push the bandits back until... until that bastard Milo struck Harry from behind."
I clench my fists tightly as I listen to him speak.
"Harry fell to the ground, and the bandit leader took the opportunity to stab him with his sword. The bandits gained momentum and defeated all the villagers."
But Harry's sacrifice did not go in vain. Agnes makes a fist as he looks into my eyes. "The bandits would have looted the village, killed the men, and raped the women if not for the villagers coming together to fight them. They know that if push comes to shove, we will fight them again. That's why they don't dare to overdo it. It's all because of Harry's sacrifice so be proud of your father child. He was not some messiah but he saved this village.
I don't know what to say as I look at the burly man who is full of anger and compassion as he talks about my father in this life who died while protecting this village.
"Milo..."
I look at Agnes and the first thing that comes out of my mouth is...
"Why is Milo still alive?"