He had no regrets.
The monsters who attacked that village were the remnants of the army that had attacked Lindle. They must have escaped from the main army on the frontlines.
Had he not caught the bleeding man there…
Had he not killed the goblins who were pursuing him…
Had he not disobeyed orders and rushed to the village in spite of the danger…
‘Thank you, mister soldier!’
The children and parents had been grateful to him. And the damage to the village was minimal.
He saved the village.
He saved that family.
The others who disobeyed and came with him were also smiling.
They did nothing wrong. Nothing wrong at all.
“Shit…”
Poro rubbed his forehead.
And then he made a fist and struck himself.
“Shit…shit…shit…shit…shit!”
The pain became numb and then spread as heat.
Still, the memory did not go away.
‘Dear, don’t go! Come back!’
‘Father! Father!’
The two faded away as his horse went wild.
He desperately pulled on the reins and tried to turn the horse around.
The stable was burning. It was a miracle that he was even able to connect the wagon.
‘Don’t leave us! Help!’
‘I’m scared! Father! Father!’
As if to cover his screaming family, a group of goblins started to chase after him. He tried to avoid them while finding a way around.
However, the village was burning, and the paths were blocked by bricks.
And so he could not turn back.
“I was going to go back! I meant to!”
It was a lie.
After all, he could have jumped off if he wanted to.
And was there not a pitchfork in the hay? Could he not have swung it like a spear and allowed his wife and child to escape?
“Gah…”
Had he really wanted the horse to turn around?
Had he meant to return to that town of death and horrible monsters?
“I…I…was trying to go back…”
But he did not go back.
What happened to his wife and child?
“Stop…”
His child, hung to a tree. And his wife, skewered by a pike.
“Stop!”
He remembered their faces. The tears and fear. The expressions of hatred.
“STOOOOPPPPP!!”
When he came to, a guard was standing on the other side of the iron bars. After inspecting Poro, he handed him a cup of water.
“Are…you allowed…”
“It’s fine, as long as no one knows.”
Poro drank the lukewarm water and looked down.
“You look terrible. Was it a bad dream?”
“No… What I saw… Was just reality.”