Chapter 28: Omen
TL: Potato-tan
Proofreader: Asianpotato
Lexi’s face lit up as she hugged Alicia tightly, heedless of her sweat and damp clothes.
Alicia, equally surprised, hugged Lexi back with a bright smile.
“It’s been what? Hmm. Since you suddenly said you were going to a human city, Forty. . . no, fifty. . .”
“Haha, you’re still the same, sis. I’m glad to see you, too. Huh?”
She looked past Lexi and spotted Russell standing behind her.
“Oh, is that the nice man who bought my sword? What’s up?”
“I’m here to get some drinks from that dark elf.”
“Eh?”
Alicia was so flustered by Russell’s blunt response that she loosened her grip on Lexi’s mouth.
“Hey! Now you’re covering your sister’s mouth, too? I’ll have to teach you some manners, tee-hee-hee-hee!”
“Hehe, ah, sis, hahaha! Stop tickling me! I’m all sweaty. Hehehehe!”
Alicia thrashed around, her breath coming in gasps, as Lexi mercilessly tickled her armpits and sides with unnatural vigor. But even as a seasoned blacksmith, Alicia found it difficult to overpower Lexi, who had just returned from the city after personally cutting down monsters.
“Here! I found your weakness!”
“Stop, stop! Hehehe, stop it!”
Despite their words, the sight of the two beauties groping each other was quite lewd, especially since they were both dark elves with elongated ears and strangely different skin tones, one of them drenched in sweat.
Russell silently lit a cigarette and watched their playful yet obscene groping. And he made up his mind, which he had been hesitant to do.
‘I should take a bath today.’
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
Lexi’s tormenting tickle lasted for a long time before it finally ended, and Alicia collapsed on the ground, her face flushed.
The dwarf, Aunt Philly, left Alicia alone and handed Russell and Lexi large wooden mugs. They contained cold beer, the same as what Russell had drunk last time. Lexi took the large wooden mug with both hands and tilted her head.
“It’s cold? What is this?”
“You’ll know when you drink it.”
Aunt Philly asked, hearing Lexi’s “Ooh! It’s refreshing!” she said as she drank the ice-cold beer.
“You’re back here after just two days? Did you sell your armor?”
“I didn’t sell it; I came to get it fixed. Did you have time?”
“Sure. The Lord had a briefing last night. It can now be seen by other mercenaries, travelers, and refugees. Is that ragged piece of armor yours?”
Aunt Philly took the breastplate that Russell handed her. It was broken completely in half from the collarbone down, but it only barely retained its circular shape thanks to the leather straps and chains that held it together.
Aunt Philly turned it over and over in her thick fingers, clicking her tongue.
“No, this won’t do. The inner lining is all torn. Even if I fix it, it’ll be loose and won’t provide much protection. It’ll be complicated to repair, too. It might be better to buy a new one.”
“Is that so?”
Karugon’s staff had pierced it, leaving it dented. Karugon’s duel with Lyos had completely destroyed it. ‘Damn it, I should have just left him alone.’
But Russell didn’t want to kill or turn someone into an idiot. The sight of people living their lives in a daze, only swallowing the food that others gave them, was distressing to both the living and the watching.
“Um, can I take a look too?”
Alicia, who had finally recovered from the tickle’s lingering effects, approached, her clothes spreading out behind her as if she had just changed. She examined the breastplate that Aunt Philly had handed her.
“Hmm, it looks like it was first cut by something blade-like and then by a sword.”
Russell looked surprised, but Aunt Philly nodded as if she knew.
“You can tell. The blade wound shows a sense of urgency, whereas the sword wound shows determination. You must have faced some tough opponents to end up like this.”
“One was a dragonkin, and the other was a princess’ knight.”
“What?”
“A dragonkin?”
The dark elf and the dwarf were shocked by Russell’s answer. So he briefly explained the battle he had fought yesterday, and the two looked at Russell with admiring eyes.
“Oh, wow. We have a great guest here. Wait, does that mean you’re the Thunder Warrior, the Celestial Lion, that they’re talking about in the market?”
“Wow. But those stories are so absurd. ━He wields thunderbolts and makes the heavens roar every time he swings his sword.”
Russell shrugged.
“There’s some truth to that, and that’s why I came to get my sword repaired. A few teeth are missing.”
“Here, let me look at your sword.”
Russell obediently unbuckled his belt and handed over his claymore. Alicia carefully examined the greatsword that she had taken out of its scabbard and looked up with another expression of admiration.
“It’s true. It’s remarkable to receive such marks in just two days. Russell, you’re a greater warrior than I thought. Would it be rude of me to ask where you’re from?”
Russell smiled slightly at the polite dark elf’s question and replied,
“I’m from the north. I’m traveling.”
“Just traveling? Not adventuring?”
“Yes. Just traveling.”
Alicia looked at the man in front of her. He was unwilling to talk about his hometown, and he was neither an adventurer who sought treasure and glory nor a wandering knight looking for a lord. His white face and two blue topaz-like eyes suggested that he had not grown up in hardship.
Alicia handed the claymore to Aunt Philly.
“Auntie, can you sharpen the blade? I notice that some teeth are missing here and there. We may need to hammer it out and reshape it.”
“Hmm, I’ll try.”
Aunt Philly took the great sword and went inside the forge. Alicia said,
“I’ll examine the armor on display outside. I’m not sure if there’s anything that fits you. We might have to make one, so can I take your measurements?”
As Russell spread his arms, Alicia, who had taken a tape measure out of her burlap pocket, approached briskly. Soon, the brown-skinned dark elf hugged him from behind, her arms stretching over his back to measure from his collarbone to the center of his chest.
There was the sound of hammers pounding in the forge. It was the sound of Aunt Philly hammering out the missing teeth.
Somehow, the atmosphere was difficult to talk in. Alicia didn’t make any unnecessary conversation as she took his measurements, so Russell didn’t open his mouth either.
The dark elf’s breath, mixed with sweat and perfume, smelled slightly sour but also sweet. After finishing his chest and back, Alicia moved on to measuring his shoulders, upper arms, and biceps.
“I’ve felt it since I first saw you, but you’re incredibly tall. And your muscles are so rugged.”
Russell remained silent. It was a difficult thing to say. ‘Was I supposed to say thank you?’
Lexi, who had been drinking beer with an “Ooh, ooh, ooh” sound, looked at the two with narrowed eyes.
“What are you two doing?”
“Taking measurements.”
“Isn’t that where you measured earlier?”
“Is it?”
Alicia stepped back with a cough. For some reason, Lexi’s tickle had caused her cheeks to flush. She fanned herself with her hand, saying, “Ah, why is it so hot?” Then she took out a notebook and pencil from her burlap pocket and wrote down Russell’s measurements.
“Shall we take a look at the breastplates outside? Do you need a pauldron?”
“It would be nice to have one.”
Unfortunately, neither of them was suitable. They were all too small for Russell. He had already guessed this, so he wasn’t disappointed. Before he left home, they custom-made the ones he had worn before. Alicia shrugged.
“We don’t have any. I’ll order one.”
“I’ll do that. I’ll pay for it with this.”
Alicia’s eyes widened at the Lord’s Medal that Russell showed her.
“Wow, the Lord gave you this?”
“He did. He also brought along a pile of gold coins.
“Really, Mr. Russell must have been very impressive. I’ve only heard about individuals who receive approval from the workshop possessing something similar, but I never imagined I’d actually see one. Is the money fixed?”
‘Freedom is always right. Especially if it’s not my money.’ Russell nodded with satisfaction.
“Put it back. It’s not disposable. Unless the Lord specifically asks for it back or revokes it, you can probably keep using it. Sis? What do you need?”
Lexi, who had been following behind and looking around, laughed loudly. She suddenly opened her arms and hugged Alicia tightly.
“Me? I’m fine as long as I have my sister.”
“. . .I forgot that you’re a lightweight(low alcohol tolerance).”
Russell told Lexi that she had broken two of her single-edged swords in yesterday’s battle, and Alicia reluctantly pulled Lexi away and brought two swords that looked exactly the same. Like Russell’s claymores, they had the World Tree’s crest engraved on them where the blade met the guard.
Lexi cheered.
“Wow! Are you giving me these swords?”
“You have to pay for it, sis! Two gold coins!”
“What?! Why? You didn’t make Lucy pay!”
“Are you calling Mr. Russell Lucy?”
Alicia looked at Russell, and Russell smiled faintly. She shook her head at the hint of resignation in his smile.
“Anyway, no. Two gold coins.”
Alicia didn’t blink an eye at Lexi’s expressions of betrayal and pleading. There seemed to be a bit of revenge for the tickle from earlier behind it.
In the end, Lexi had no choice but to sniff and take out the gold coins from her pocket. Alicia quickly snatched the gold coins, and Lexi closed the entrance to her pocket and put them in her bosom, muttering.
“Sob. Alicia has become a materialist.”
“You’re just being unreasonable, sis.”
Lexi and Alicia, who were pouting and smug, respectively, looked no different from any other sisters.
But her frown didn’t last long, and Lexi sat on a chair and giggled stupidly as she examined the two swords. Russell also looked at the sword, which was a bit shorter than his longsword but longer than his broadsword and had a decent width. Alicia said,
“I’ve wanted to make twin swords for a few days now. I thought of you when I was making them, but when you come here like this, it’s like the world tree is watching over us.”
“Whoa! You thought of me?”
“Ah, come on! Stop clinging to me, sis!”
Despite her words, Alicia didn’t actively try to pull Lexi away. Russell crossed his arms and observed the two dark elves.
He didn’t see any similarities in their appearance. The only thing they had in common was their pointed ears, and their hair and skin colors were different. Their eyes were both red, but Alicia had a deep crimson color while Lexi had a clear, blood-like red. They were sisters, but one of their parents must have been different.
Russell, who had been following his thoughts, suddenly smiled. It was funny to see two unusually dark elves calling each other sisters.
Soon, Aunt Philly returned with Russell’s claymore. Aunt Philly, who was holding the great sword in one hand, said to Alicia,
“Have you calculated it, Alicia?”
Alicia replied,
“I received it from my sister, and Mr. Russell has the Lord’s Medal. I think I’ll have to make a separate invoice later.”
“Really? That’s great. You must have been really amazing, young man. To have the stingy Lord care so much is truly remarkable.
The dwarf’s exclamation was short and blunt, as befitting her race. Aunt Philly handed Russell the scabbard that held his claymore.
“Here you go. I may not be as good as Alicia, but I’ve done the best I can to repair it. You can trust me when I say that I’m staking my dwarven anvil and hammer on it.”
“What are you talking about, Aunt Philly? I have nothing left to teach you.”
With one ear, Russell listened to the polite conversation between them and drew his greatsword. With a swish, the claymore slid out, its blade as smooth as when he had first received it. The blade was straight, with no missing teeth.
“Thank you.”
“What is there to thank me for? If you listen to the rumors, you’ve practically saved this city all by yourself. I didn’t see it myself, so I don’t know if I should believe it all, but there were a lot of citizens who were grateful to you. So there’s no need to thank me.”
Russell and Lexi left the forge. Alicia inquired about their stay at the inn Breezy Winds of Lanshmoore), and she said she would visit them later if she could. He didn’t hear what she meant by that.
The sun was now setting. On the western horizon, red and crimson light shone. The reddish, torn clouds that blocked the sunlight flew serenely across the sky. It looked like a child had torn up colored paper and placed it over a blue puddle.
The boulevard below the sky was filled with the sounds of restaurants starting their evening business and innkeepers trying to attract customers. Among the citizens were numerous travelers, adventurers, and mercenaries.
Russell walked, feeling his belt, which had been loose, tighten. His heavy claymore proudly displayed its presence, and people stepped aside in front of Russell, overwhelmed by his large size and greatsword.
If Russell had intimidated people with his great height and great sword, Lexi made passersby give way with the occasional smile as she looked down at the two swords she was holding in her arms.
She was a beautiful dark elf, but no matter how beautiful she was, it would be difficult not to tremble in front of a woman who was holding sharp swords and smiling like a madman.
That was how Russell and Lexi walked, cutting through the middle of the passersby on the boulevard as if they were a sailboat, parting the waves.
The staff was greeting them here and there as they entered the inn’s restaurant. Among the greetings of “Welcome!” an exclamation of “Russell-nim!” rang out. Shasha was there.
She came running with an expression that suggested she had found a gold mine in the backyard. Behind her, her uncle, the innkeeper, shook his head. Russell’s face turned slightly red.
“Why are you so late? Your party is already here.”
Russell turned his head in the direction Shasha was pointing. They were sitting in the same spot as yesterday, next to the fireplace. Evelyn was sitting there, smoking a cigarette and exhaling smoke. She also found Russell and Lexi and raised one hand. Shasha said, with a worried expression,
“Would you like to order?”
“Six meals, three of which are on one plate. Also, three glasses of beer.”
“Yes. And then?”
Russell glanced at Lexi, who was standing still without going to her seat. Lexi met his gaze blankly. Russell sighed.
“The bath is later. After we eat.”
“Ahem, um. Oh, I understand. I’ll get it ready right away!”
Shasha, her face flushed, ran to the kitchen. Lexi giggled, her beautiful face making an uncle-like expression that didn’t suit her at all. It must be exhausting to belong to a race whose age is indeterminate.
After dinner, Russell got up early. Evelyn was about to ask if he was going to bed, but Lexi next to him stopped her and whispered something. Then Evelyn’s face turned bright red. ‘Yeah, go ahead and tell everyone.’
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
Late at night,The blue moonlight that came through the window lit up the bed.
A man and a woman were lying in bed, covered with a blanket. The moonlight reflected off their bare shoulders, creating a dazzling white light. Shasha buried herself in Russell’s arms, as if she were afraid of the moonlight.
Suddenly, she parted her lips slightly.
“Russell-nim.”
Russell didn’t speak but simply caressed Shasha’s earlobe in response.
She wanted to hear his voice, but his touch on her ear was so sweet that Shasha sighed involuntarily. After a short while, she spoke again.
“Can I. . . go too?”
There was a subject, but no object. But somehow, Russell seemed to know. He didn’t say anything. He just kept caressing her earlobe.
At his unresponsive answer, Shasha raised her head and found Russell’s gleaming eyes. Her focus blurred violently, and her head wobbled as if she couldn’t support it. And then she fell into a deep sleep without knowing it. Even her soft breathing filled the room.
“. . . . . .Phew.”
Russell, who had put Shasha to sleep, let out a sigh of relief. He looked up at the ceiling, his mind consumed by the difficult question. The moonlight that came over the window frame shone on the ceiling’s wood grain in a silver rectangle that was different from the daytime.
His extraordinary eyesight could see the curves, the worn marks, and even the weathering of the wood grain where the silver light touched. But like everyone else, he couldn’t see a person’s future.
Outside of the city is a dangerous place. Not only the things that move underground in the plains or the teeth that flash between the trees in the forest, but also the people themselves were truly terrifying.
Bandits, robbers, and gangs of thieves were easy to spot. But what about those who approached you with kindness and care? They were persistent and sharp, and they didn’t hesitate to use poison and traps. Such things were too much for the innkeeper’s maid to handle.
Russell didn’t explain the long reason. It was similar to when he persuaded his younger siblings to believe in the legend of Santa Claus, who secretly placed gifts by their beds every winter.
In most cases, a lie is warmer than the truth.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
It was dawn. The east had not yet turned white, and the sky was a terrifying blue. Russell sat up. ‘Why did I wake up?’
The answer came in the form of a vibration that shook the room—no, the entire building.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
In Calisden, an earthquake occurred.
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