Chapter 225 – Even in a foreign country, I couldn’t leave them be!

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And so we decided to explore the Lang territories with Remlik, the Vader prince.

We promised to meet him tomorrow, outside of Langs. Today, we would return Shia to her village.

Shia’s village was about one house to the west of Langs on foot.
We were not attacked by any monsters on the way, and before long, the settlement in the middle of the grasslands came into view.

While it was a village, it was not like the villages I was familiar with.

It was made up of large tents and an enclosure for sheep. The area around the village was also surrounded by a low wall made of stone.
Shia and her people seemed to have a lifestyle similar to nomadic human tribes.

When we arrived at the village entrance, Shia found her family immediately.

“Mother!”

As Shia ran, she was greeted by a woman with dog-like ears.

“Shia. Where have you been!?”

Shia threw her hands around her mother’s legs.
The incident with Roda must have really frightened her.

After a moment, Shia began to talk to her mother.

And then her mother looked towards us and bowed her head frantically.

“…Honourable merchants. Thank you for saving my daughter!! I don’t know how I can repay you…”
“Please don’t worry about it. Besides, it was mostly Prince Remlik who settled the matter.”
“Prince Remlik did…”

The mother seemed quite overwhelmed.

The other villagers reacted the same way when they heard about what Prince Remlik had done.

It seemed to me that he was somewhat popular among the people who were not Vader.

However, one of the villagers then said to the mother,

“But, the prince is hated by the other Vader people. What if we get targeted…”
“If that happens, we will drive them away!! I’m tired of the way they do things!!”
“Indeed!! They abduct and beat us… The number of us who have returned in a terrible state…”

The villagers were starting to get heated.

“Stop! If something does happen, we will leave this place!! You all know what would happen if you defy them!”
“…”

The mother protested, and the villagers fell silent.

On closer inspection, the village had many children and elders.
Perhaps they had lost many young adults to the Vader people in battle.

Should we really be lending a hand to Vader… The question returned to my heart once again.

Still, I was sure that dealing with Remlik would bring about good results.
If he had the power, he could change the current situation.

At least, that’s what I told myself.

On the other hand, I was also worried about Shia now.

And so I approached her and said,

“Shia. We are grateful as well. Thank you for guiding us to Langs.”

And then I handed her the sack of hell worm materials.
Surely…she could sell it for a high price.

But Shia quickly shook her head.

“I can’t accept this! …Besides, I tried to deceive you in the beginning.”

Shia said apologetically, but Fule answered.

“Don’t you know that we’re merchants? We never thought that you would be guiding us for free.”
“But, I got you in trouble and…”

Rienna shook her head.

“We’ve been in much worse trouble before. We once fought against a sea snake that was larger than a mountain.”

Rienna said as she turned to me. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Indeed, compared to that, this little incident in another country was nothing…

“Bigger than a mountain?”

Shia seemed puzzled. Fule coughed and said,

“Well, enough of that. We really are fine. More importantly, you must be careful from now on. It might be best to stay away from Langs.”
“Yes. I’ll stay low for a while. Though, I had wanted to buy some shoes for my mother…”

Shia said as she looked at her mother’s tattered shoes with despair.

Her mother shook her head.

“I am more worried about you. From now on, I will go and sell the firewood, while you help with gathering them.”
“But mother, your feet…”
“It’s fine. If we just save up a little more money, I’ll be able to fix the loom…we just have to survive until then.”

Apparently, they used to make a living with a loom.

However, it had broken.
And so they were forced to sell firewood in order to make enough money to repair it.

If I provided them with weapons or money, they might use them to fight.
However, I could at least give them tools that they lacked…

Shia. Then what about this?”
“Huh?”
“There is a brilliant crafter among my acquaintances. An odd person, who becomes anxious if he isn’t making something at all times… I shall give him the materials, so why not have him fix the loom and the shoes?”
“Are-are you sure?”
“Aye. And if there is anything else the villagers need fixed, he can do that as well.”
“But…what advantage does that have for you?”
“We’re fine. But…I know. If we come to this village again, could you share some food with us?”

I asked, and then Fule added,

“And if your mother can make some fine fabrics, we should like to buy them.”
“Hand-woven carpets sell very well.”

Rienna agreed.

At this point, tears were streaming down Shia’s face.

And so I frantically said,

“So-sorry. Did I say something that I shouldn’t have?”
“…No… It’s just…no one has ever been this kind to me before.”

Shia wiped away her tears and bowed her head.

“Thank you… I promise to pay you back one day.”
“Hehe. You will? Then I’ll expect you to pay us back one hundred fold.”

Fule said jokingly, and Shia nodded with a smile.

After that, we returned to the mines below the cliffs, where Mappa and Number 15 were.
They had already made underground rooms and a living space that matched those of Sheorl…

And then I asked the Golem to make a report to Baris.
About what happened in Langs, and what we meant to do.

Furthermore, I decided to have Mappa and Number 15 go to Shia’s village.
And there, they would repair things for her and the other villagers.
Mappa agreed immediately.

…Ah, of course, I told him to put on some clothes.

And on the following day, I headed back towards Langs in order to meet Remlik.

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