Wolf’s Melancholy (3)
The name ‘land of pastoralism’ is not in vain.
Even in Pulan, where the number of cows and pigs is overwhelmingly greater than the number of people, Toren village, located in the deepest mountain valley, has experienced many changes in recent years.
As the village is already aging, there is no influx of young people.
There is plenty of work to do, but no one comes to this place to work, so isn’t this a town where you only see the same people you always see?
Therefore, it is natural that when something good happens in a house, the whole village becomes abuzz.
The happiness of one family is the happiness of the entire village. It is not particularly strange that in just half a day, word spreads throughout the village and everyone congratulates you.
The most recent thing that caused an uproar in the village was the return of Yenica Palover.
Yenika always returns home every vacation and gets her face stamped, but this time homecoming was especially noisy.
The incident occurred as soon as Jenica Failover returned home.
Everything was natural, from returning to Failover Ranch, changing into village woman-like clothes and washing dishes, helping with the ranch work as usual, and eating a meal with sheep’s milk, cheese, and rye bread with my parents.
However, there was a hint of something different from usual.
Orte Palover, the owner of Palover Ranch, and his wife, Sayla Palover, know their only daughter, Yenika Palover, better than anyone else, whom they raised as a golden jade leaf.
The same goes for the fact that she is absolutely terrible at lying. The two people, who have watched Yenika’s growth process over the past ten years, can see through Yenika’s psychology just by looking at her facial expressions.
― ‘You seem to be worried a lot lately, Yenika. Is it because you stepped down from your senior position? The second place alone is truly amazing.’
– ‘Yes?! Oh no! Of course, it’s unfortunate… I’m not that depressed because of that! ‘Dad too!’
Jenica, who had been denying Orte’s words while sitting at the dinner table, waved her hand in positive denial out of fear of causing unnecessary concern.
This is the reaction to telling the truth. Still, I’m glad that he doesn’t seem to be stressed about his grades, but why does he seem particularly lethargic?
The couple noticed several times that they were staring blankly into space or sighing heavily, as if they were worried about someone.
– ‘Or what… ‘Is there a boy you’re interested in?’
– ‘huh? No, what do you mean! Dad, why on earth are you saying such strange and incomprehensible things? A boy that bothers me. If you say that, it makes me feel like I have some strange thoughts! Really, Dad is like that all the time!
If you have time to talk about such strange things, I’ll go change the food! No, it’s something that has to be done anyway… Anyway, don’t say things like that without any context! Wow, you’re surprised!’
Yes that’s right.
Watching Yenika’s reaction as she explained the words at length, the Failover couple, who had been scolded, showed their anger.
Indeed, is that so? Surely Yenica Failover has reached that age too.
The Failover couple is already open-minded when it comes to rational reasons.
This is a rural area where you have to search every nook and cranny to find a few young people. Growing up in a place like this, doing ranch work, I was always worried that Yenika would grow up to be a village woman who didn’t know anything about the world.
The couple couldn’t control their excitement as they wondered if they were going to catch a man, even though there were already not enough workers at the ranch.
To begin with, the Failover couple had very low views on men.
No matter how much Yenika can fly and crawl, I did not expect to attract people such as children of noble families of noble status, talented magicians with decent looks, or popular and reputable networkers.
However, I only have a small wish to be good at ranch work and dexterous. She would live in this village for another dozen years and become an old maid, and if she didn’t get caught up in her age and marry a strange person, she would be very touched.
That Jenica is rationally attracted to a male student from Sylvania!
My son-in-law! It’s my son-in-law!
The sweet three-letter sound that was never dreamed of in this crumbling town. My son-in-law!
Like a pirate who discovered gold and silver treasure, Sayla Palover turned on the light in her eyes and hugged Yenica’s back.
Even considering that she is my daughter, Yenica Palover is a woman that many men have no reason to turn down. Her looks are on the level of cuteness, and her abilities are not to be overlooked, and in this day and age, such a simple and kind country girl is a natural monument in itself.
Since there was absolutely no reason to deny who the other man was, a meeting ceremony was already underway in the heads of the Palover couple.
The most important thing, what kind of person the other man was, was left behind. Unless you are a really crazy person, you are ready to accept everything. In the first place, if you are a student at Sylvania, it feels like you are guaranteed at least something.
– ‘Yenika! Yenika! ‘You’re finally doing it!’
― ‘Honey, don’t make too much of a fuss… ! But by the way, which anime? Maybe you don’t like it when your in-laws are too generous? Do you think you might like a more classy feel? ? Should I have the dress she wore at her wedding altered again?
– ‘Are you a bit of a shooter? My dream was to have a drink with my son-in-law and shoot some targets… . No, it’s still too early to drink. I wish it was a little more masculine rather than slim… How do you feel… ?’
Even if you drink a bowl of kimchi soup, it won’t be this spicy. There is a degree to what a person is like.
Yenika’s expression was hardening in real time.
– ‘Ah, no! ‘Why, why do you think that!’
– ‘Yenika! We all know without even trying to hide it! So, what’s your name… ?’
– ‘Don’t tell me! ‘Why do I have to tell you something like that!’
At the point when the answer came out, ‘I won’t tell you’ rather than ‘There is no such person’, Yenika had admitted the truth. In any case, she was a person who was terribly bad at lying.
– ‘No, you could tell me! Yenica! Do you know how hard this father went through while taking charge of the Palover Ranch?! ‘I wish there was joy in life too!’
– ‘Ah, Dad… Why again… Make a fuss… ‘
― ‘It’s not bad to end your life like this, cleaning up cow poop and milking milk, but if you stand in this world with your fists clenched and your strong feet upright… What I want as a son-in-law is a man’s heart and a man’s life… ! So, let’s at least hear the name! In the first place, a man should know better than a man!’
– ‘it’s okay! Done! please! Lower your voice! Everyone next door will hear it!’
As Yenica pounded the desk in a fuss, Orte Palover let out a sigh, his muscular arms hanging limply.
– ‘okay… That’s right… . then… I can’t help it… ‘
― ‘Honey, we are taking good care of ourselves. Yenika can’t just have a kind and pretty heart forever… Inevitably, puberty would come someday, so I decided on the day I gave birth to Yenika that I should brace myself. Don’t be too upset. Now the promised time has come.’
– ‘I see… I guess so… I guess it’s a process everyone goes through. Now, if I mix my clothes with her own and wash them, Yenika gets angry and says they smell like sweat, frowns when we make eye contact, slams the door and goes into her room, and starts pounding on the table, telling me to give her pocket money. … . Although my mental preparation was already complete… It’s so, so sad… Now, I am becoming a sour smelling old man stuck in a corner of the room… Yes, this must be the twilight of life… It’s bitter and lonely… ‘
― ‘Why are you thinking in such a leap of faith…? ! I’m not like that, I’m not like that… !’
Upon seeing Orte’s tearful face, Jenica hesitated for a moment. Anyway, I can never tell you the name.
The moment that name is uttered in this small rural community, it will only be a moment before the rumor spreads throughout the village. I know this well because I am Yenika, who has lived in Toren Village longer than anyone else.
However, as the couple’s intimidated expression continued to put pressure on them… Soon, cold sweat begins to flow out little by little.
“Ugh..that… ”
In the end, Yenica, who had a kind heart, hesitated and spoke.
“Woah, the bow… . Good shot… ”
When Jenica saw Orte’s expression turning red, she felt blood rushing to her head.
– ‘Oh, Jenica! I heard the news! ‘I’m so happy that you seem to be enjoying your school life to the fullest!’
― ‘Bring him to the village sometime! ‘I’ll pick raspberry liquor that’s been brewed for over 20 years!’
– ‘Then I’ll slaughter a whole pig!’
– ‘Can I just have a pig?! Gotta catch the cow! ‘I’ll search the entire pasture and catch the best quality ones, so if you come across anything, be sure to tell me!’
I didn’t say his name, but it was true that I made a mistake anyway.
There was no way the Failover couple, who had been scolded, would not tell the villagers about such an important matter.
After having a drink at the village hall and sharing a conversation with Ortega Jenica, who was in a good mood, the rumor spread quickly.
By the evening of the next day, the village was already in a state of decline, and Jenica, who was walking around the village square with a basket full of fruits, was getting hot on her face.
– ‘Oh, when she comes, be sure to stop by our Helken General Store! I don’t have much to take care of… Well, if you need any repairs done, I’ll do it for free!’
– ‘If you’re from Sylvania, aren’t you from a fairly wealthy family or noble family? Maybe not all of them are like that, but there are a lot of them! Yenika, you have really achieved success! It’s the pride of our village!’
– ‘Yenika! Yenica! Yenica! Yenika! Yenika!’
– ‘Hey, it’s a good time! About 25 years ago, I also used to beat up some city guys… I miss you, I miss you~’
Yenika, who had been walking around receiving congratulations all day, made a declaration to the Palover couple at breakfast the next day.
― ‘I want to go back to Sylvania tomorrow.’
It sounded like a thunderbolt. Once he returned home, Yenika stayed for at least 15 days, but he announced his return after only three days.
– ‘What’s going on, Yenika? ‘I’ll have to wait a little longer.’
– ‘me… ‘
Yenika, whose face was blushing, spoke with tears in her eyes.
– ‘I can’t live here anymore…’ .’
For a penny-pinching ranch couple in a rural town, the delicate heart of a girl was too difficult to handle.
… It was a tearful thing.
*[I was thinking about the old days]
There is a fairly large lake in the center of the northern forest.
It is truly an amazing lake. The amount of stagnant water was not that great for a lake, but the water did not become cloudy or rotten.
Stagnant water will likely become cloudy little by little, as if someone is continuously purifying it… The water of the central lake always seemed clean and mysterious.
Especially in the morning, there is a gloomy fog because of the humidity, but the view of the lake softly revealed through the morning sunlight is quite spectacular, like a scene from a fairy tale.
It seems that some students use it as a morning exercise course. In particular, guys like Ziggs are regular customers.
Well, it’s morning… It was now night, and the starlight in the night sky was shining faintly, reflecting on the water.
‘Merilda’s Guardian Tree’ rises on a small grass island in the center.
When you sit back and look at the view of the forest, it feels as if the night sky is also on the ground. This is because the night sky reflected on the bright view index clearly shows starlight as if it were the sky itself.
From somewhere in the coniferous forest that spreads between the two skies, only the distinctive sounds of insects on a summer night or the sounds of rodents moving through the grass can be heard.
Summer nights are never quiet. It is noticeably different from winter nights when you feel like you are alone in the world.
It makes me think that there is definitely a lot of life lurking in this forest that appears to be full of trees.
“Thinking about the old days?”
[It just happens once in a while. ]
Merilda was walking around on the surface of the water. This was possible because the epiphany was released. Since the mana was depleted, it would not have been visible to me if it were not for the power of the staff.
Watching them walk barefoot on the water reflecting the starlight of the night sky, it feels like they are stepping on the sky, not on the water.
[You destroyed the Ross Taylor family not long ago. ]
“To say it was smashed is an understatement.”
[Well, what do you think? It’s true. ]
Merylda lightly lifted the hem of her skirt on both sides and turned her body around, causing a slight breeze to blow up.
[I don’t know what you think, but to me, the Ross Taylor family is a family with a long history whose name has been around for a very long time. ]
“I don’t think it’s any different.”
[ well. Knowing the history and actually observing it are two different stories.]
“That’s also true.”
Seeing me admit it with ease, Merilda smiled, saying she knew that would happen.
[Every time I see such a large group or group disappearing, I get the feeling that times have changed. What else can I say about this? It feels very draining. ]
“hmm… ”
[Don’t you understand? ]
“To be honest, yes. “I don’t quite understand.”
Merilda smiled and continued her story.
[Sometimes I feel like the times leave me behind. Is it because my life as a spirit has also entered its twilight period? I often have useless thoughts. ]
Entered the twilight period.
To that expression, I couldn’t respond for a moment and had to gather my thoughts.
Merilda is a high-ranking spirit who has lived for a long time.
It is known that all spirits do not have the concept of lifespan, but this is incorrect.
There is no such thing as death from physical shock or magical power, and no spirit can spend more time in this world than is allowed to respond to its magic.
There is only one way to extend the allowed time. All it does is raise its status.
From a fluid spirit that emits magical power for about a week and then disappears, to a lower-level spirit that can maintain its magical form for several years.
And it becomes a middle-level spirit that can easily maintain its life for several decades, and furthermore, a high-ranking spirit that does not disappear even after living for hundreds of years.
However, no matter how powerful a spirit is, at some point it must participate in the cycle of this world.
Although there is no concept of death, the concept of return to nature remains. Although it may not seem much different from death, we can at least harbor hope that one day we will be able to return to the spirit of the body and start from scratch.
The life of a spirit is so long and monotonous.
“Merilda, you… ”
[Don’t get me wrong, I still have a long way left. At least over a hundred years. ]
After saying that, Merilda smiled like a wolf.
[Why? Were you worried that it would be gone soon? Kuhu. ]
“… “It would be a lie if I said I didn’t do it.”
[Wow, you’re being honest in this strange part. You are the type of person who is secretly very affectionate. ]
“No matter what, I owe you a lot. “I’m not that cold-blooded either.”
I leaned my back against Merilda’s guardian tree and looked up at the sky blankly.
“I was just curious as to why there was a change in his mood that made him so depressed. “I understand now.”
[ depressed? I? ]
“If you pretend, you pretend. You are depressed now. “Do I really need to tell you that?”
Having a heart is the same for both spirits and humans. And although it is my personal opinion, I think the way the mind works is similar to whether it is a human, an animal, or a spirit.
The reason why Merilda seems particularly lethargic or worried is also similar.
“Humans are the same.”
I spoke with a deep sigh.
It was a story that was equally true on the battlefield and in a peaceful society.
Young, young, full of energy… All spirits like mugs see the ‘future’.
I became a mid-level spirit, developed my magic sensitivity, increased my magic power, and someday became a high-ranking spirit… I dream of wandering around the world with a powerful spiritist while commanding the spirits.
However, live long enough… The spirits, who are approaching their twilight years, look to the ‘past’.
I met some spiritists, saw some people, and went through some eras.
The days we have lived so far and the days we will live in the future. If you weigh which of the two has more, you can easily find out what kind of person you are.
Those who have more days to live look to the future, and those who have more days to live look back on the past.
This is the same reason why a young man who has just graduated from college and an elderly gentleman who is about to retire cannot communicate.
A young man talks about the future, but a gentleman only talks about the past. After becoming aware of the discrepancy, the gentleman gradually falls into depression.
My story is coming to an end. In the end, the times moved on and left me behind.
After realizing that fact, there are definitely times when tears come to my eyes just looking at the setting sunset.
[She looked like Sylvania. ]
Suddenly, a story about Great Sage Sylvania emerged.
I wonder if this is a story that Merilda, who resembles Sylvania more than anyone else, would tell… When she realized that it wasn’t about her appearance, she closed her mouth.
Patriciana was a child who was so immersed in her studies that she didn’t even know about her bachelor’s degree.
[The great sage was also an eccentric who devoted himself to his magic research no matter how harsh and difficult the environment was. ]
“So, did you hang out with him?”
[I just wanted to watch. It reminds me of the old days. I think I caused you some trouble in the process. ]
“This isn’t even a problem, so don’t worry too much. “Tracyana came and took care of everything.”
Merilda smiled and tilted her head.
[ In the end, it was a girl that was more different from the Sylvania I saw long ago. Well, of course. A weirdo like that will easily appear again. ]
“Is that so?”
[ Okay. As you said, I may have been a little depressed. ]
Merilda stood on the surface of the water with the hem of her skirt spread out, looking up at the vast spires of Sylvania. There are more than one or two spires rising among the stars in the night sky.
The spires of Sylvania, which can be easily seen from the lake in the northern forest, were buildings inherited from an eccentric wizard who was exiled to Aken Island long ago.
Although it may have had humble beginnings, it has now become the best educational institution on the continent.
Those impermanent years were very long, but if you go back and look back on them, you might remember them as clearly as if they were yesterday.
The memories of the past that Merilda has accumulated will remain in her memory until now, as she enters her twilight years.
As I said, people who have entered their twilight years tend to live looking to the past rather than the future.
The same goes for the memories that Merilda remembers as she gently closes her eyes. Memories that she would never forget and cherish even throughout her long life. There’s no way they aren’t special.
The time when I was indifferently looking down at the panoramic view of Aken Island from the top of the mountain.
Was it a time when Sylvania was having trouble with accidents whenever she got the chance?
The sight of Sylvania smiling brightly with both hands on her hips was definitely… It’s probably not an easy sight to forget.
[After thinking about it, yes… There was no other friend like that kid. ]
Merilda, speaking in a low whisper, had a relaxed expression that was far from depressed.
[Yes, it was great back then. ]
Although you shouldn’t judge based on facial expressions alone.
*[There is the body of the highest ranking wind spirit. ]
I could see that my affinity with Merilda had increased without even having to open the stat window.
This is because it felt more like a connection between spirits and spirit masters rather than affinity as a stat. We went on various journeys together and talked often, so it’s worth it.
Well, since I actually feel more friendly, the friendliness as a stat will definitely go up. Accordingly, it will have a greater impact on the power of spirit rituals and skills.
However, after a deeper conversation with Merilda, what fell into my hands was… Rather, it was information of a higher level.
[The highest ranking wind spirit position is currently vacant. Decades have passed, but no one has come close to that point. All that remains is the corpse of the highest-ranking spirit of the past, who has reached the end of his life and transformed into nature. ]
I came to Merilda’s guardian tree and sat down next to me, holding my knees, and spoke.
[ In fact, it can even be called a corpse. It’s a small, silky-shaped lump of magic power. There is no way for a spirit to have a corpse or anything like that, but since it is a trace left behind as it disappears, it is somewhat similar. ]
Merilda spread her palms toward the night sky and continued her story.
[If you get your hands on it, you will make tremendous progress in your spirit magic training. Sylvania finished her research and buried it in the ground. If you want, I will hand it over to you. ]
“Is there some kind of change of heart all of a sudden?”
[ just. It’s hard to find a friend like you. She and Jenika are really good friends, but if you ask her if she’s deep enough to tell her what’s on her mind, she doesn’t. ]
The highest ranking wind spirit, ‘Tirkalax’.
A spirit in the shape of a giant bear, boasting a body the size of a mountain ridge… It was a thing of the past that can now only be found in history books.
[However, it is not free. ]
As she said that, Merilda smiled sinisterly.
“I think you’re thinking about something useless again.”
[Not at all~. Like I said, I’m a little depressed. I just thought it would be nice to relieve some of my depression. ]
“What more do you want?”
Merilda suddenly raised her upper body, pulled my tie, and whispered in my ear.
[You know that Yenika likes you, right? Reasonably. ]
As the words struck me, I took a deep breath.
[Well, it’s not like I couldn’t understand your situation because you’re so busy, but… Now that you’ve gotten a little better, and it’s a break, you’ve got some free time, right? ]
“What are you talking about?”
[I need to slow down a bit, now. ]
Saying that, Merilda twirled the hand that pulled the tie and spoke in a seductive voice.
[I need to at least give Jenica a kiss before the vacation ends. ]
“… ”
As he was staring at Merilda with an astonishment-like expression on his face, Merilda shook off her pure white hair and made a sly face.
[ If the fire fox girl at the top sits down at the camp, it’s obvious that Yenika will be defeated in the battle. Before that, I need to quickly make it a fait accompli, so I can feel at ease. ]
“… ”
[ call? ]
Summer vacation was already coming to an end.
It won’t be long before students will return to their bachelor’s degree.
Feeling an ominous feeling that I didn’t know why, I just stared at Merilda’s sly face for a while.
