But this time, Jiho didn't chase him because even though the original owner was born in a farmer family, she was a scholar, so her body is too weak for fights. Jiho cannot use her full powers; instead of wasting her effort, Jiho stood still in her place while staring at the person in the tree.
Sensing Jiho's gaze, the person on the tree smiled through his black cloth, soon stood on the tree, and flew away.
Due to this, Jiho was certain that this person must belong to this village to know every move of hers.
"But who and why follow me?" Jiho muttered as she saw the person leaving, a frown formed on Jiho's face even though these villagers are selfish and greedy, they are all only normal farmers, so a martial artist among them...
'Let's wait and see,' Jiho looked at the tree one last time and walked away.
...
"Damn, is there really nothing?" Looking at the empty brown rice container and kitchen, Jiho went to her knees while gritting her teeth and clenched her fist in front of her face.
'Why did this fool not save some food for drought when everyone did?' As she gritted her teeth.
"If she were in front of me, I'd kill her with my own hand," Jiho gritted her teeth while tearing her handkerchief.
SIGH
Well, it's not that the original owner didn't save money, but due to her foolish love, she gave her hard-earned silver to that mer who later ran away with her money.
'I don't understand why these fools always fall for bad persons.'
Patting her rumbling stomach, Jiho suddenly remembered something; she stood and rushed out of the house.
After walking for a while, she arrived at the place where she got sweet potatoes before and started to rummage through.
"Haha."
Hearing someone laugh, Jiho turned around and saw a young man, oh sorry... a young mer, smiling at her.
"Can I ask what's so funny to make you laugh so loud?" Due to hunger, Jiho was already annoyed, but she still tried to control her expression and asked in a so-called calm voice.
[It's only calm for her, but for others, it was the same as a gangster voice demanding money].
"..." The mer, who was suddenly questioned, stared at Jiho without saying a word and looked at her with a little surprise expression.
"What, cat got your tongue? Can't you speak?" As Jiho looked at the beautiful mer in front of her, it felt kind of refreshing compared to those old mers who looked like girls and wore makeup.
His purple eyes made her feel like seeing lavender, and his blonde hair floating with the air made it feel divine.
'Wait a minute, divine? Did I just say divine and also while seeing a man? Well, he is a mer but...'
She shouted and slapped herself in her mind and looked at the mer with a blank face.
Suddenly, a hoarse voice interrupted her thoughts.
"He can't speak." Jiho looked back at the source of the voice and found a man walking toward her.
'What, also a mer? But don't mers supposed to be more like women and weaker than men, but he...' As he stood in front of Jiho, she was a little shocked.
'You damn master, now even a mer is taller than me,' Jiho looked at the mer who was 173 cm tall. She felt like crying and clenched her fist inside her mind, but outwardly, she still looked at him with a blank expression.
"I apologize if my brother has offended you." He took out some wild fruit wrapped in a tree leaf and put it in his hand and looked towards Jiho.
After stretching out his hand for a while, seeing that Jiho had no response, he looked up and saw Jiho with crossed arms.
"Is there any pro...?"
"Are you done?" Before he could finish his sentence, Jiho interrupted him while looking at him with a frown.
"Let me ask, have you asked your brother whose fault it is?" She asked in a calm voice.
"That..." The mer pursed his lips and said nothing.
"Haa," Jiho rubbed her hair in frustration; she was already tired by earlier commotion, now she doesn't even have the strength to argue.
"It's not his fault; we just have a misunderstanding and tried to talk to someone head-on if you don't take their money," Jiho said in a calm yet annoyed tone.
"That... sure." The mer was a little shocked; he, of course, knew that it isn't his brother's fault, but...
Jiho knew from the original owner's memory that in this place, a mer has the lowest status than women and men.
To tell the truth, they are not even treated as human; they are only reproduction machines and playthings for many people. If a mer's reputation is tarnished, no matter who the other party is, mers are the only ones to be blamed; sometimes they were even killed.
SIGH
'Haa, what a shit rule do they have,' Jiho really hates this type of discrimination just because you are born different doesn't mean it gives you power to bully someone or being bullied.
After saying that, Jiho left for another place to find something.
'She is good, right?' As the blond man made a hand sign, while looking at his brother with a small smile.
The other mer also smiled lightly and nodded while rubbing his brother's head, "En."
After Jiho looked around and found some more sweet potatoes, she was too tired, so she just roasted them and ate.
Next day.
KNOCK KNOCK
Jiho, who was cleaning the yard, heard a knock on the courtyard; as she walked out, she found someone unexpected there.
"Take this," Uncle Cheng, looking at Jiho with an ugly expression, threw a pouch at her face.
CLANK
Jiho, who just felt something flying, caught it instinctively; as she opened the pouch, a smirk formed on her face.
"So this is all, right?" Jiho asked while playing with the pouch in her hand with a smile. Seeing her mocking smile, Uncle Cheng's face became red with rage as he gritted his teeth.
'You.'
'What?' Jiho sneered coldly while rolling her eyes; seeing this, Uncle Cheng stomped his feet and left.
'Hah, trying to scare me, just a dream.'
Jiho, who looked at the old man leaving, smiled coldly as she closed the gate.
[A/n: I hope you like it and comment to let me know your opinions].