After walking for quite so ti.In the distance, a signpost marking the village entrance ca into view.
Cariote appeared quite tense.Noticing her anxious deanor, I asked.
“Are you alright?”“I’m fine. How about you, Cecily?”“Not at all…! The ground is so much muddier than I expected and my pretty shoes that I wore specially are completely covered in mud…!”
Cecily seed to be doing fine as well.Hoo— Cariote drew a deep breath.When Cariote, firmly gripping Cecily’s hand, finally entered the village as if having made a montous decision, the shepherds one by one turned their heads to look at us.
We returned their gaze.Their faces had a healthy sun-darkened complexion, with black or dark brown hair and eyes. There were around a dozen of them.No strong n were present.Just won and children mostly.Yet they didn’t give off the impression of being weak.
Sling—Soone wielding a knife sharp enough to cut bone stopped preparing at and Pak— drove the blade into the wooden cutting board.Though she wore an apron, she was quite large with a fierce countenance. A straight scar above her left eye looked particularly nacing.Suk— Suk— After wiping her hands on her apron, she approached and asked.
“Who are you?”
Her voice carried clear hostility.Since village folk commonly showed wariness toward strangers from foreign lands, I took it in stride.
“I am Cecily von Regdoll.”
Little Cecily grasped her skirt and offered an elegant curtsy.The fierce-looking woman’s hostility seed to soften sowhat.After all, it’s difficult to maintain blind hostility toward groups traveling with children.
“That scar… could you be Aunt Tirk?”
That’s when Cariote addressed the intimidating butcher-like woman. The scarred woman in the apron appeared montarily surprised, then studied Cariote’s face.
“Now that I look closer, could it be Cariote? You’ve grown so tall and lovely I didn’t recognize you! Yes! It’s Cariote! Everyone co out and look, Cariote has returned! Cariote has co back to Iscariote!”
At Tirk’s booming announcent, people erged one by one from their tents. Most were won.There were so n, but only young boys.People gathered around us.
This was Iscariote.Cariote’s holand.
# # #
“What have you been doing all this ti? How have you been?”“Your skin is so fair now! Weren’t you more tanned when you lived here?”“You’ve been living in the city, right? City life is great, isn’t it, girl?!”
Kyak— Kyak— Kyaruru—!Won’s chatter was more chaotic and lively than n might imagine.The won of Iscariote were especially strong-willed and tough, their voices loud enough to make the small tent quiver.
Pang—Soone slapped my behind with their palm.When I turned around, a middle-aged woman wearing an eye patch was Huhu— laughing.
“This man looks strong. Quite handso too.”“He doesn’t seem like a city dweller?”“Which tribe does he belong to?”
They must have assud I was a nomad from the plains based on my appearance? But their gazes lacked the contempt or fear I’d felt in the kingdom.Instead, I was receiving considerable warmth.
“How old are you?”“Do you have soone special?”“What about !”“My goodness, Iruru, that’s too forward!”
Indeed.I was receiving very obvious interest.Had there ever been a ti in my life when I’d been surrounded by so many interested won?Never.
I wondered if this might be the peak of my life. They say so people who aren’t popular in their holand beco popular abroad - I must be exactly that type.I was considered handso here on the great plains!
“This is… the person who will be my husband.”
That’s when Cariote ca over to introduce .The won’s eyes widened considerably.
“Oh my! Cariote has brought ho a husband!”“How wonderful. Very traditional.”“I want to venture outside the village and bring back a partner too!”
The won of Iscariote praised Cariote enthusiastically.Before coming to this village, I had learned quite a bit from Cariote about the traditions of the village and plains.The plains people didn’t choose partners from their own tribe - rather, upon reaching a certain age, they would travel to et potential lovers and return to introduce them - that was their tradition.I suspected it was a system to prevent inbreeding and maintain genetic diversity.
“Who’s this little one?”“She looks just like a doll!”“Oh my, how adorable.”
The won now turned their attention to Cecily, who sat quietly. Even in this culture of tough warrior won, Cecily proved popular.Likely because of her natural beauty.
I recalled a story about when missionaries first arrived on the Korean peninsula in the late Joseon period.One might expect the Asian people of that ti would have rejected Westerners, calling them “big noses” or “blue-eyed ghosts.”Many missionaries ca to Korea with their families then, and the children they brought were incredibly popular regardless of age or gender.Townspeople would gather just to see the missionary children.Even in historical records from that ti, there were observations like “the children are very pretty” or “they look endearing.”In other words, people’s sense of aesthetics doesn’t actually vary much across eras or cultures, remaining sowhat constant.Looking at Cecily, I could definitely sense it.Cuteness transcends all boundaries.
Suk—Cariote placed her hands under Cecily’s sides and lifted her high into the air.As Cecily went limp, Cariote announced to everyone.
“This is my daughter. Her na is Cecily Barjudas, also known as Cecily von Regdoll. She’s my daughter and I’ve brought her to show everyone.”
Cariote lifted Cecily even higher so more people could see her daughter clearly.Cecily wore a half-resigned expression.
“Cariote’s daughter?”“Now that you ntion it, they do look alike! She has two eyes, one nose and—““Didn’t Leone look just like that back then?”“Shh, let’s not speak of Leone.”
I sensed the atmosphere shift to a mix of joy and unease. Soon Cariote addressed everyone as if sharing happy news.
“Mother is alive too. We can’t et her now, but. It would take ti to explain. Anyway, I’m going to marry this man soon. I wanted everyone to know before that.”
The villagers exchanged glances.Though Cariote’s explanation was brief, everyone laughed Wahaha— as if everything was fine.
“We must have a festival today!”“Let’s open the wine barrels when the n return!”“Wa!”
It was a more vibrant hotown than I had imagined.Soon the sky began turning crimson as the sun descended toward the horizon.
The horizon.Due to the geography, there was rarely a chance to see the horizon in Korea where I grew up.These great plains where sky and earth t in the distance left quite an impression on my city-raised heart.As I gazed at it, Cecily ca beside and said.
“The sunset is so pretty!”“Isn’t it?”“I never knew places with such vast land existed. Though there are no aristocratic chandeliers or noble ladies in fancy dresses, this sunset is the most beautiful of all.”
Cecily spoke candidly.Cecily was half and half Cariote.Half of Cariote was Lady Leone and half was from this Iscariote plains great hunter’s blood, so Cecily could be considered to have about ¼ of the plains blood.Cecily seed quite taken with her quarter-blood holand.
Pirururururuk—!Just then a sharp bird of prey’s cry pierced the air.
“Cecily, looks like an eagle’s co to catch you.”“Hmph.”
As Cecily snorted—Dagudak— loud hoofbeats approached.I worried bandits might have appeared, but the village won welcod whoever was arriving on horseback.
“You’ve returned?”“Amor, how was the hunting today? More importantly, look who’s here! Cariote has returned!”“My goodness, the great hunter’s daughter has co back to the village?”“She didn’t just return, she brought a husband! Well, since she already has a daughter, I suppose he is her husband!”
I had described the won of e village as tough earlier.The n of Iscariote were warriors beyond compare.Perhaps because they were a tribe that hunted on horseback, there wasn’t a single overweight person among them and they emanated a sharp presence like finely honed arrows.And they didn’t seem particularly fond of .
“So you’re the one who claims to be Cariote’s husband?”“Looks like a male courtesan! Seems weak!”“A city dweller?”
To think there would co a day when I’d be called a male courtesan. Well, compared to these rugged nomads, my features were quite refined.Perhaps I was considered handso here?My feelings were quite mixed.
Still, I could tell they thought of Cariote as family they hadn’t seen in ages.It felt like when a sister brings ho a boyfriend and there’s wariness about what kind of man he might be.Clearly Cariote had been well-liked in her hotown.I recalled Cariote’s earlier warning: “The n might be sowhat particular. Though it’s tradition to bring spouses from outside, they don’t like them being too citified.”
Suk—Just then soone erged, parting the crowd of n.He was a bear-like giant with an eagle tattoo on his face.
“How could soone who looks unable to handle even a single punch be the husband of Cariote, daughter of the great hunter! It’s incomprehensible! I doubt he could even hunt a single rabbit on the plains.”
Pat—He grabbed my collar.Kkuuk—I felt him applying force but soon a bewildered sound escaped his mouth.
“Th-This guy is heavy! He won’t budge!”“Domor, what are you doing? Use so strength!”“Everyone co here! This guy’s body weighs like a cart!”
The n all pounced on .They grabbed my clothes or pulled my arms, but being surrounded and handled by multiple n wasn’t particularly pleasant.
Anyway.The bear-like man called Domor caught his breath and asked.
“Just what are you? This doesn’t seem like human ability no matter how I look at it! Are you a ghost?”“Sothing like that.”
When I nodded, the n appeared frightened.So even reached for weapons.
To lighten the mood, I produced gifts from the shadows.Nothing better than giving presents to gain goodwill from strangers.What I pulled out was a round soccer ball.
Pang— Pang—When I kicked it and passed it to the n, these energetic fellows were delighted and each took a ball.I offered items like balls as well as cigarettes, alcohol, and toolboxes, but manufactured goods like chocolate and drinks proved surprisingly popular.The n each claid a box of cola in glass bottles and were thoroughly pleased.
“We hunters of Iscariote welco you. As long as you don’t cause too much trouble, we’ll treat you as an honored guest!”
With that spirit, as evening fell.A great bonfire was lit in the village center and a lively festival began.The guests of honor were myself and Cariote.
“According to Iscariote tradition, we begin the wedding of Cariote, daughter of the plains, and Judas!”
The sound of drums and horn flutes filled the plains night along with the bonfire smoke.It was an evening when the moon and stars shone with particular brilliance.
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