My na is Horlan.
I’m a demon.
Together with my lover—now my wife—Lucidel, we ran away from our respective villages and sought refuge here in Village Five, relying on Lucidel’s anii, Langho-san.
We’re living in one of the rooms in Langho-san’s large house, and Lucidel and I have been helping out with the daily chores.
I feel like we’re being a burden, but Langho-san reassured , saying that with his wife pregnant, having more hands around the house is actually a blessing.
I’m grateful for that.
Still, I can’t just keep relying on him.
I need to start earning my own living.
Fortunately, back in my old village, I worked as a talworker.
Thanks to Langho-san’s introduction, I’ve managed to join the local guild for jewelers, and they’ve already assigned a few jobs.
It’s going… well, maybe not quite smoothly yet.
I brought my own tools for talworking, but I don’t have a workshop set up here.
The jobs I’ve been offered involve crafting decorative pieces for furniture, which requires a decent amount of space to work.
If it were just jewelry, I could do it at a small desk, but for this kind of work, I need a bigger area.
I could try renting space at soone else’s workshop, but I’d have to pay for that.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the money to cover rent right now.
Normally, in situations like this, people offer to teach their skills in exchange for using the space, but…
The techniques I know were passed down from my family. Even though I’ve left them behind, I still feel uneasy about sharing those secrets so freely.
No, I’m not really in a position to be so picky.
My family didn’t treat well, and they opposed my marriage to Lucidel, but still, I owe them for raising .
I can’t just let their techniques leak out so easily.
While I was mulling this over, Langho-san offered to let use an empty room and part of the garden as my workshop.
He even said I didn’t need to pay rent.
I felt conflicted. I’m trying to avoid relying on him too much, but refusing would be pointless.
I need to get on my feet first.
Yeah.
So, I decided to take Langho-san up on his offer and use the empty room and garden.
I’ll work hard here, make enough money to pay rent, and one day, I’ll be able to afford my own workshop.
-0-
It’s been about thirty days since we ca to Village Five.
I’ve started to get used to life here, but I realized I don’t actually know much about the village itself.
I spent most of my ti working, so I don’t go out much.
The only ti I leave is when I need to go to the guild to accept or deliver a orders.
The guild sells materials for talworking too, so there’s not much reason for to walk around town.
One day, Langho-san noticed this and insisted on taking out.
「Hey, hey. You know, it’s about ti you started calling brother in law.」
Sorry.
If I did that, I feel like I’d end up relying on you even more.
「Haha. No worries. I won’t force you. Besides, anything’s better than being called ‘Master’. 」
Ah, is he still bothered by that incident?
Lucidel had tried to call him ‘Master’ as a sign of respect since he’s the head of the household, but Langho-san absolutely hated it.
Lucidel argued that it was only right to keep things professional, especially since we were living with him and helping out around the house.
I stood by Lucidel, of course, but Langho-san begged to convince her to stop.
It wasn’t easy.
Convincing Lucidel of anything is a challenge.
Honestly, I can’t win an argunt with her.
Still, sohow, I managed to get her to stop calling him ‘Master’.
Relying on Langho-san like this, we definitely can’t afford to cause him any trouble.
Oh, while I was lost in thought, I fell behind Langho-san.
I hurried to catch up.
「So, the reason I brought you out today… there’s sothing I want you to know.」
Sothing I need to know?
Is it related to Village Five?
「Sort of but… Have you heard anything about Lucidel’s eyes?」
Ah, ahhh that.
Yes, I heard about it after we arrived here. Lucidel has a magic eye.
But I don’t know the details of what it does.
She kept it secret all this ti, and I didn’t push her to explain.
「I see. Well, it’s not sothing we want to spread around, but it’s fine if you know. Simply put, Lucidel’s magic eye allows her to see people’s titles.」
Titles?
You an she has the ‘Attribute Reading’ magic eyes?
Just like in the stories!
It reveals nas, races, positions, and titles.
「Lucidel’s magic eye isn’t that convenient. It only shows the person’s race and their public title. And even then, the title has to be well-known, not just sothing used by a few people close to them.」
Still, that’s pretty amazing.
「Yes, it’s useful for recognizing powerful or influential people. It didn’t do much good in the village where we grew up, though.」
Ah, I can see why.
「There’s also a downside… If you can’t read, it doesn’t matter what you see. It just looks like so kind of strange eye disease.」
So that’s why Lucidel was learning to read from such a young age.
「Probably so. And about that magic eye… I have it too.」
You do, Langho-san?
「It seems to run in my family. Though, as far as I know, only Lucidel and I have it. I doubt our parents or siblings even realize we possess the magic eye.」
It would’ve been a problem if they did.
「Yeah. Neither of us would’ve been able to leave the village if they had known.」
That’s true.
So, was that the important thing you wanted to tell ?
「No, not exactly. This is just to explain why I know what I’m about to tell you. It’s related to Village Five. The magic eye helps make this story more believable.」
I see.
So, it’s thanks to your magic eye that you know about this.
「Exactly. There are so important people in Village Five. You probably won’t have to deal with them directly, but knowing about them might help you avoid trouble. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.」
Ehto, I heard from Lucidel that so of the forr Four Heavenly Kings live here.
「What I’m talking about is not sothing that obvious. Ah, excuse !」
Langho-san suddenly stopped and bowed deeply to a young maid passing by.
「Oh, Langho-san, was it? Sorry for not greeting you imdiately. Who is this?」
「This is my little sister’s husband. He works as a engraver.」
「Well, that makes him your brother-in-law then.」
The young maid looked at and gave a graceful bow.
「My na is Mio, a maid. My best regards.」
Y-Yes.
I’m Horlan.
Nice to et you too.
「How polite of you. I’d love to chat more, but I’ve been called. Excuse .」
The young maid smiled and walked away.
Judging by Langho-san’s attitude, is she one of those important people I should know about?
「Exactly. That was Mio-san, the secretary to the governor of Shashaato. Whatever you do, do not get on her bad side. And if she ever asks for help, do your best to assist her. But only if you can. Pushing yourself too hard would only cause her trouble.」
Understood, but… isn’t she from Shashaato City?
「She was sent there by Village Five. Naturally, she’s no ordinary person.」
I figured as much.
「She belongs to the ancient royal guardians of the old kingdom, called the rcury, and her title is ‘Caretaker of the Royal Family’s Estate’. 」
!
The old kingdom… that’s the one from the height of magical technology, right?
I’ve heard it fell over a thousand years ago. Does that an she’s one of the survivors?
「Probably. And… keep your gaze steady. Don’t stare at her, it’d be rude. Do you see the girl walking past the red-roofed house ahead?」
Yes, she looks like an ordinary village girl, though.
「She’s the sa as Mio-san, another ancient royal guardian. Her title is ‘Shadow of the Royal Family’. She goes by the na Nana, but I’m not sure if that’s her real na. I’ve seen her in different forms a few tis. When I reported it to the village council, they told she was a subordinate of Youko-sama and to leave her be.」
Ehto… there really are more survivors from the old kingdom than I expected.
「Indeed. And I know of a few more.」
So these ancient kingdom survivors are the ones I should be aware of, then.
「Yes, but there are others as well.」
…
Is Village Five actually a more dangerous place than it seems?
「Haha, no, no. It’s not like that. You’re safe here, I assure you.」
After that, Langho-san showed around and explained various things.
This village is ho to more diverse races than I initially thought.
There are familiar of the serpent god, holy beast tiger, and other divine beings.
In the shrine located northeast of the village, there are many foxes with so rather unsettling titles.
Apparently, they’re Youko-sama’s subordinates, so there’s no need to worry about them.
I was also lucky enough to encounter a holy beast tiger, which only visits occasionally.
As for those Langho-san said I should be cautious of—not because they’re dangerous but because they require the utmost respect—there are the High Elves and the Onis.
To , they just looked like groups of carpenters and cooks, but apparently, I shouldn’t let my guard down around them.
「I trust you won’t have any issues, but as long as you don’t provoke or insult them, you’ll be fine.」
I wouldn’t dream of doing that.
「I know. But there are always fools who don’t know better, getting carried away with themselves.」
Right.
「…By the way, what do you think of my house? It’s a fine place, right?」
Eh?
Where did that co from?
Well, yes, it’s a nice house.
Very comfortable.
「Not long after I arrived in Village Five, I heard that the High Elves were going to build a house. I didn’t believe they could really do it, so I challenged them.」
You challenged them?
You, Langho-san?
W-Well, I suppose, given how fragile High Elves look…
「Exactly. I didn’t think they could handle carpentry. So to prove wrong, they built this house.」
R-Really?
「Yes. The house is also so large because, after challenging them, I requested the design. It’s on the foothills, where the village was first built.」
You even made a request?
「I was a fool. After it was built, the High Elves and Oni used it as a lodge for a while. When I heard it was being sold, I happened to have enough money, so I bought it.」
I-I see…
But, Langho-san, don’t you have the magic eye?
Didn’t you realize the High Elves might be a dangerous group?
「When I first ca here, I couldn’t read yet. I just thought they were ordinary elves.」
Ah… well, ehto…
At least you didn’t have a bad experience, right?
So, in the end, everything worked out.
「Once I learned to read and realized what my magic eye showed about those elves, I found out their race was High Elf, and their title was Man-Eater.」
EEHHHHHH…..
「Don’t back away. It’s fine. I apologized properly, and we’ve made peace.」
Th-that’s a relief…
「Well, as I’ve said before, just don’t provoke or belittle anyone. That’s all you need to avoid trouble.」
True.
Title or not, I’ll make sure not to provoke or mock others.
「Exactly. That’s the way to go. Not every dangerous person has an obvious title, after all.」
I’ll also work hard on my reading.
I may not have the magic eye, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to be able to read.
I rembered when we left the village, Lucidel left a note behind, but I couldn’t read it.
It reminded that I really need to study.
「By the way, were there people who could read Lucidel’s note? It wouldn’t do much good if no one could.」
He said it was partly to buy ti while they found soone who could read it.
「Ah, I see. Well, it’s always good to be literate. In Village Five, there are plenty of places where you can learn to read and write. I’d recomnd the angel’s classes—they have a reputation for being excellent teachers.」
Angel?
Now that you ntion it, do I not need to be cautious around the angels?
You never ntioned them.
「Do you really need to tell you to be cautious around them?」
…I guess not.
Then maybe I should just stay away from them?
「Do you really think simply avoiding them will help you escape the angels?」
…no, I don’t.
「Exactly. Don’t be unnecessarily wary. Just treat them with respect, like any good neighbor.」
So, in short, I should just give up on avoiding the angel.
「Don’t put it so bluntly. …Though, Youko-sama did ntion that the angels living in Village Five and Shashaato City should be fine.」
So… it’s safe then?
「She also said to report it if you see them doing anything suspicious.」
Ah—right, they ‘are’ angles after all.
「Indeed. They ‘are’ angels.」
-0-
, the story will return to the village chief’s POV.
Thank you for your continued support!
Reviews
All reviews (0)