Kai tensed as the man's hand hovered over the hilt of his short sword, a subtle gesture that hinted at his readiness for violence if needed. But Kai wasn't too worried. The man's weapon was hardly a threat—more of a large knife used for chores, not for killing. Kai's own sword, on the other hand, was longer, sharper, with a deadly edge on both sides, forged for battle, not household tasks. His heart had been steeled by experience in the bloody battle against the bandits. His body blessed—or cursed—with immortality. The villager, on the other hand, was just an ordinary man. The flicker of uncertainty in his eyes made it clear he hadn't killed anyone before.
"I need to confirm your group's purpose in visiting our humble village first," the man said, his voice calm but firm. "You don't expect me to bring strangers back without some explanation. I hope you understand."
Kai exhaled slowly, relieved he wouldn't have to kill an innocent man. Villagers like this one were nothing like the bandits he had encountered before.
"I understand," Kai replied. "But I can't reveal where we're from, for personal reasons. I hope you'll respect that. And as you can see, I'm just a teenager, and my companions are the same." He gestured towards Cia and Ariella, the two of them standing quietly behind him. "Honestly, I'm the only one here who can fight in our group. But what harm could I do to your village alone? I don't want to have troubles either... Besides, I have this."
Kai reached into his tunic and pulled out a letter. "The lighthouse keeper, old man Garba, gave me this to deliver to your village chief."
Kai had anticipated that they'd be met with suspicion, so he had prepared himself. His words were calm and measured, and the letter was meant to ease any doubts. Old man Garba had likely written it as a way of giving them a pass into the village, knowing the villagers wouldn't trust outsiders easily.
The man unrolled the letter, scanning its contents quickly. After a moment, he sighed, visibly relaxing.
"Thank goodness, you had me sweating for a second there, kid." he said, patting Kai on the shoulder with a subtle laugh, giving his two silent companions behind a brief glance.
They're both delicate ladies requiring protection, more of a reason for this young man to avoid harmful conflicts.
With that, the tension between them dissolved, and the man casually introduced himself as Maber. Slinging the bundle of woods over his shoulder, Maber led Kai and his companions deeper into the village. As they walked, Kai couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between the outer and inner parts of the settlement. The houses they passed first were in disrepair—boards missing from walls, windows shuttered, doors left ajar. It felt more like a ghost town than a village.
"Looks like you've been busy." Kai remarked, his eyes scanning the piles of dismantled wood scattered around.
Maber nodded. "We're breaking down the houses that have already been abandoned. No sense in leaving good wood to rot."
The further they walked, the more the village began to change. The once-desolate houses gave way to ones that were still intact, and soon, they started seeing people—men hard at work, dismantling abandoned homes and salvaging usable materials. Each bundle of wood was carefully carried to the northern section of the village.
As they reached the other side of the settlement, Kai's eyes lighten at the bustling scene before him. The desolation of the outskirts faded into a vibrant, active community. Men, women, and children moved about the streets, busy with the tasks of daily life. In a large open area near the road leading northwest, piles of belongings were neatly arranged—furniture, tools, household items. Everything was packed and ready to be transported.
The men were hard at work, constructing large wooden frames of what seems to be carriages, their hands swift and skilled as they assembled the wheels and frames from the salvaged wood. The creaking of timber and the rhythmic pounding of hammers filled the air. Their active voice and laughter sounding around. Kai watched as children ran between the carriages and streets, laughing and playing, while women tended to their husbands, offering water and food to the workers. Despite the looming migration, there was a sense of unity and determination. Some spared the new arrivals varying glances, wariness, curiosity and interest. But Maber shrugged them off, erasing the suspicion towards Kaiser and his two companions with casual words to his prying neighbors.
"Who's that Maber, I can tell they're not from around here."
"Relax, they're sent here by the old man in the tower. Is there anyone who can fool that old hag? So trust me when I say this, they're just kids passing by. Where's the chiefs by the way? I have a letter for him brought by these kids. Tell him it's from the Warden."
Information sure travels fast, it only took minutes before everyone in the village knew of their arrival and trustworthy excuse to be accepted in their community - which is merely Garbs's approvement. It makes him wonder how reputable the lighthouse keeper was to affect the entire village view on strangers.
While walking, Kai paused for a moment, taking in the scene. The clear, blue sky above contrasted sharply with the scattered belongings and the ongoing construction, wrecked house away and ideology of leaving the place where they're born, their old home.
This wasn't a village on the brink of collapse—it was a community preparing to move forward into a bigger settlement and start anew. Away from the Boundary and danger of isolation.
Come to think of it, the village only got the courage to migrate due to the bandits nesting on the mountain side disappearance. The threat they pose on travelers threading that route was gone along their gang. Which was basically caused by his involvement, freeing Zara from imprisonment and marking their doom.
The thought of it made him grin unconsciously. Knowing his partially the main cause of this migration felt strange.
Maber stopped outside a modest yet sturdy two-story inn. The wooden beams appeared recently repaired, and a warm scent of cooking drifted from inside. He turned to the group with a proud grin.
"This is my place," he said, puffing his chest a little.
Just as he spoke, the double doors of the inn swung open, revealing a woman standing in the entrance. She blinked in surprise at the sight of them gathered outside.
"Oh, honey!" Maber called cheerfully. "I brought some guests. This here is..." He paused, turning to Kai with an awkward whisper. "Uh, what's your name again, kid?"
"Kai, ma'am," he replied quickly. Kaiser rather tells Maber's wife directly, hoping she had a better memory.
The woman, who Kai assumed was Maber's wife, greeted them with a warm smile. Despite the faint lines on her face, she looked younger than her years. However, what stood out most was her belly, round and full of pregnancy.
she said, her voice gentle
"Oh my, what a polite young man you are. And who might these two lovely young ladies?"
Kai quickly introduced Cia and Ariella. The woman's welcoming smile widened as she beckoned them inside.
"Come in, don't be shy."
The interior of the inn was spacious, the wooden floors smooth beneath their feet. In the open room, several dining tables were scattered around, though they were all empty. The atmosphere felt a little hollow, as though it had once been lively with boisterous customers drinking and celebrating. Now, only faint echoes of those days remained. A staircase sticking on the wall led straight up to the second floor, where the rooms presumably were.
Kai's gaze shifted to the upper level, trying to decide on a room. But before he could make up his mind, the rich scent of food wafted into his nose, causing his stomach to growl. Embarrassed, he shifted awkwardly.
The house lady chuckled hearing that. "You must be hungry from your trip. Is there anything you'd like me to prepare?"
Kai smiled sheepishly. "Anything will do for me, ma'am."
"Same for me," Cia added, keeping her voice calm but grateful.
Ariella, the goddess was looking around the inn with childlike curiosity, seemingly unconcerned with food. Kai wasn't even sure if Ariella needed to eat at all.
"You should definitely try my wife's specialty. Trust me on this one, kid, it'll be the best meal you've ever had." Maber chimed in, slapping Kai's shoulder.
"And know what! since we're all leaving soon, the rooms are discounted! Just five silver a week! Good luck finding a better deal than that." Maber added, his voice dropping conspiratorially.
But sensing his wife's polite but chilling gaze turned towards him, cutting the moment short. "Darling...?"
Maber froze under her glare. Then, with an awkward laugh, he scratched the back of his head. "Ah, well, would you look at the time! I've still got work to do. Those carriages won't build themselves! Haha." And with that, he scurried out of the room, making his escape.
The house lady sighed, shaking her head at her husband's antics. "I'm terribly sorry about his behavior. Five silver per week is close to what we used to charge, back before everything started changing around here. A lot of the furniture has been packed for the migration. We weren't expecting a guest and with my condition, I haven't been able to keep up with the cleaning. The quality isn't what it used to be." She bowed her head slightly in apology. "Maber's just trying to earn what he can before we leave. Please forgive him."
Kaiser waved off her concern with a reassuring smile. "No need to apologize, ma'am. It's really not an issue for us."
Her expression softened, relief clear in her eyes. "That's very kind of you to say. All the rooms are available, so feel free to choose whichever one you like. And, since we'll be leaving soon, consider the room for only one silver. It's the least I can do for any inconvenience. "
She turned to head into the kitchen to prepare their meal, but Kai hesitated, scratching his head as a thought crossed his mind. "Um... excuse me, ma'am. You mentioned silver, right? Well... the thing is, we don't exactly have any..."
Her polite smile faltered slightly as she looked at him. The room fell silent for a moment, but her voice remained kind. "That's alright. You don't need to worry about it. I won't say anything to Maber, but if you can find some work outside, maybe repay me a little when you can."
Kai's eyes widened in surprise, quickly realizing she misunderstood. He coughed, leaning in a little closer to whisper. "Uh, ma'am, I think there's been a misunderstanding. We're not broke... it's just that..." He scratched his head again, feeling a bit sheepish. "I only have gold."
The house lady's smile froze.