Problems Over Problem

Luke stretched his arms, letting the warm sunlight touch his skin. “I washed my clothes this morning, so I don’t need to. But you can wash yours and hang them on that tree. They’ll dry by the time we finish bathing.”
Karan hesitated. “Why did you take off all your clothes?”
Luke gave him a puzzled look. “You don’t bathe naked?”
Karan looked away, scratching the back of his head. “At least wear your innerwear…”
Luke laughed. “We would if we had a Shine Stone, but we’re not rich enough for magical luxuries. Now, stop being shy. Wash your clothes, let them dry, and get in.”
Karan had no choice. Embarrassed, he removed his clothes piece by piece, washed them, and hung them on the tree. Then, carefully, he stepped into the pond, his face red.
Luke smirked. “You’re blushing like a girl.”
Karan rolled his eyes. “Just shut u—”
Before he could finish, Luke rushed toward him with a mischievous grin. “Wait, you aren’t a girl, right? Let me check—”
Karan’s reflexes kicked in, and he shoved Luke backward into the water.
Luke emerged laughing. “Relax, I was just joking.”
Karan sighed. “Not funny.”
Luke floated on his back. “Guess you’re not used to this, huh? Here, we all bathe together. No one comes here alone.”
Karan raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
Luke’s playful expression faded slightly. “Because they’re scared.”
Karan’s curiosity deepened. “Scared of what?”
Luke tilted his head, pretending to think. “Hmm… the usual stuff. ‘Don’t go there alone!’ ‘They live there!’ ‘Beware the—’ Uh… what were they called again?”
Karan’s eyes widened. “Ghosts?”
Luke suddenly turned toward him and let out a loud, guttural scream.
Karan jumped back, screaming in terror before realizing Luke was laughing hysterically.
Karan gritted his teeth. “You—”
Luke wiped a tear from his eye. “You should’ve seen your face!”
Karan took a deep breath. “So, there are no ghosts?”
Luke smirked. “Not here, at least.”
Karan raised an eyebrow. “You’re talking like there’s an actual village full of them.”
Luke nodded. “Yep.”
Karan chuckled. “Wait, you’re serious?”
Luke shrugged. “I’ve never seen it myself, but that’s what people say.”
Karan laughed. “So, just some old story passed down by your father or grandfather?”
But Luke didn’t respond. His playful energy had vanished.
Karan realized he had struck a nerve. “Hey, I didn’t mean—”
Luke forced a smile. “Forget it. Let’s go back.”
They finished bathing, got dressed, and returned to the house, where Luke’s mother and Maki had prepared food. As they ate, Luke finally asked, “So, Nara, what were you doing outside our village?”
His mother shot him a warning look.
Karan, expecting the question, had already prepared his response. “I don’t know.”
(Of course, even if I did tell them the truth—that this is a game, I’m a player, and they’re NPCs—they wouldn’t believe me.)
Luke frowned. “So, someone might come looking for you?”
Karan shrugged. “I doubt it. But who knows?”
Luke exchanged a glance with his mother. Karan didn’t miss the subtle tension between them. Something was wrong in this village.
After the meal, Luke, his mother, and Karan sat together while Maki washed the dishes in silence. Karan couldn’t hold back any longer.
He leaned forward. “Look, I don’t mean to pry, but what exactly is the problem here?”
Luke and his mother exchanged another glance.
Karan continued, “This village—it’s too small. It doesn’t even reach the pond we bathed in. What happened?”
Luke’s mother sighed. “Did you tell him anything?”
Luke shook his head. “No. But anyone with a brain would realize something’s off.”
His mother hesitated, then finally spoke. “My husband… he’s gone. He was an adventurer, and his father was the head of this village. Back then, our village was thriving, known far and wide for its skilled and fearless adventurers. But that fame became our curse.”
Her voice wavered. “There’s a city far from here. The head of that city is responsible for collecting taxes from villages and delivering them to the capital. But after my husband’s death… everything changed.”
Karan listened intently.
She continued, “Before, my husband’s father—the village head—handled the collections. If things had remained the same, our small village could’ve grown into a prosperous town. But greed ruined everything. The city’s leader had my husband murdered. Then…”
Her voice cracked, and she lowered her head.
Luke picked up where she left off. “Then my grandfather was betrayed and killed, and the tax collection was stolen. That debt fell onto our village. The people tried to clear it by becoming adventurers, but the guild demanded a ridiculous amount of silver. Only those who were already adventurers could help us. So our village remained in debt, and everyone suffered.”
Karan clenched his fists. “That’s… horrible.”
Maki, who had remained silent all this time, stepped forward and gently placed a hand on her mother’s shoulder. Luke and Maki tried to comfort her.
Karan sat back, processing everything. (So this isn’t just some simple NPC storyline. This village was deliberately crushed under debt. And if I really am trapped in this game… I need to figure out where I fit into all of this.)
Looking at their sorrowful faces, he made a decision.
(I need to help them. But first, I need power.)