Noral Village

Subsequent to her panic attack, Carolyn spent her conscious time leisurely. What she muttered before being sedated was enough for Teri to make a reasonable guess about her situation, and he passed this information on to the one asking for it. Carolyn believed that a more detailed report would be necessary, but in the four days since then, neither Teri nor her other visitor brought it up.

"So your pa taught you how to hunt?"

Although Teri was the one treating her, more often than not, Atla was the one accompanying her. Despite having her own chores to do, the girl had wiped her off and even fed her when she was too weak to move properly. Perhaps due to being a big sister, she was very good at taking care of others. Carolyn was now able to sit up and get out of bed for a short period, but Atla continued to visit her. In a few more days, Carolyn would be fit enough to start walking around the village, but rather than worry about the future, she preferred these casual talks.

"That's right. He hunted with a sword, so I couldn't follow his example, but I always felt that I could do well as long as I followed his instructions."

"Wow. He sounds so cool."

"Yes. He was the coolest."

Realising her mistake from Carolyn's tone, Atla hastily apologised with a guilty expression.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's fine. Thank you for praising him. I probably won't see him again, but I'm glad that I'm not the only one who knows how cool he is."

Although she hadn't seen her father's corpse, Carolyn could tell from her mother's behaviour that he wouldn't return to them. It would be nice if he had simply been captured, but she didn't want to be tortured by such hope.

"Lyn, I can't say I know how much pain you're in, but I want you to know that I got your back. If you want a shoulder to cry on, then you have one right here!"

Carolyn smiled as she looked at Atla puffing out her chest with her chin raised, but she didn't laugh.

"Thank you, Atla. Maybe I'll take that offer one day."

Their talk quickly strayed from that topic, but Carolyn kept the emotions she felt in mind. After Atla left and Teri replaced her, Carolyn asked him for a favour.

"The person who knocked on the door the day I first woke up, can you call him? I'm ready to talk."

"Are you sure? I know this won't be easy for you."

"Yes, but talking to Atla made me remember that I wasn't the only one hurt that day. And I don't want anyone else to be hurt either."

There was no guarantee that the people who attacked her village would stop there, so Carolyn believed it would be better if the people of this village were prepared.

"Very well."

Some time after Carolyn finished the soup Teri made for dinner, her visitor arrived. The visitor was a middle-aged man with a slender build. He dressed similar to Teri, but he possessed a mysterious air of composure that made Carolyn wonder if he was truly a villager.

"Before we get into anything, allow me to introduce myself. I'm the chief of this Noral Village, but you can just call me Hanson."

"You're the village chief?"

Hearing that title, Carolyn recalled something her mother said when she mentioned this village.

"That's right. Is there a problem?"

"He doesn't fit, right? He's been here for over a decade, yet he still looks like a city boy," Teri added.

"Doctor Teri, will you please stop calling me that? I've been trying my best, you know."

"Yeah, and I can tell you haven't made much progress."

"You damn old foggy."

"Ha! Try speaking a little louder, city boy."

In just a few exchanges, the special atmosphere around Hanson dissipated as Teri took control of the conversation. Although he still didn't match her image of a village chief, she could see him as an educated villager.

"Um..."

"Ehem. Sorry about that, child. This city boy just doesn't know how to act properly."

"You! Ha... I'm sorry as well. Was there something you wanted to say?"

"Yes, my mother told me that I should tell the village chief her name once I met him."

"Oh? And what's your mother's name?"

"Carla Satarin."

As soon as Carolyn said that name, Hanson stumbled to the ground with his eyes wide open, as if he had suddenly been punched.

"Hanson!" Teri exclaimed.

"I'm, fine. I just, just give me some time."

After saying that, Hanson slowly got back up to his feet and then went towards the door. However, before he left, he asked Carolyn another question.

"I'm sorry to bring this up, but, did she..."

"Yes... I sent her off on the river."

"I, see."

Though the memory stung her heart, Carolyn was curious about why Hanson had such a strong reaction to her mother's name. Teri had the same question, but neither of them could stop him from leaving. After such an incident, Carolyn didn't expect to see him again any time soon, but surprisingly, he showed up early the next day, looking like he hadn't slept the entire night. Teri tried to dissuade him, but he insisted on having the meeting. Carolyn could have refused on her end to force him away, but she saw a relatable pain in his eyes that stopped her.

"I wasn't able to save her, so I want to do whatever it takes to carry on her legacy."

Carolyn didn't know what he meant by her mother's legacy, but she could feel his determination. Since it didn't look like he would be able to stop Hanson, Teri left the room and gave the two space to talk.

"Alright, I'll tell you everything I know. It started in the middle of the night..."

Carolyn had to make many pauses during her story, but she eventually reached the end. During her tale, Hanson remained silent, but she could tell that he was listening keenly. Judging by his previous reaction, she thought that listening to the story would be almost as hard on him as it was on her, but she could barely sense any pain in his eyes. However, she didn't think that meant he had come to terms with the news. It seemed to her that he was only skilled at suppressing his emotions.

"Thank you for telling me all of this."

"No, after all the help I've received, this much is only natural. But, could I ask you a question?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"How do you know my mother?"

"Hmm, if she didn't tell you, I can't say much on the topic either. However, you can just think of me as one of her vassals."

"Really? Then was my mother a noble?"

To her second question, Hanson only gave a vague smile in response, so Carolyn knew he wouldn't say anything more on the topic. She hoped to learn more about her mother, especially now that she was gone, but thinking about her was still hard, so she didn't ask again. However, Hanson offered her an alternative.

"While I can't tell you anymore, she most likely left something with you before she passed away. You should check it."

"Hmm, could it be my mother's bag?"

Although Teri had returned her bags and weapons, Carolyn hadn't retrieved anything except for her clothes. She had even planned on burying her mother's bag or sending it down the river. However, after hearing that she might have left something for her, Carolyn felt that she had to see if it was true and what that something was.

Once Hanson left, Carolyn reached under the bed and pulled out the leather bag, which belonged to her mother. Although it wasn't very different compared to her bag, she still had to take a deep breath before opening it. At first glance, she found a spineless book with a leather cover, the maps her mother used to teach her geography, and coinage, yet no sign of any clothes. It was then that Carolyn realised something shocking.

"Mom... you never thought you would be able to escape with me..."

The heat rising from her chest nearly choked her, but Carolyn suppressed it and reached for the book. As soon as she opened it, a silver necklace fell from between the pages and landed on her lap. The necklace featured a scepter crossed over a shield, which bore great resemblance to the symbol on the kingdom's flag. Carolyn wasn't sure what it was, but it seemed to be related to her mother's background, so she carefully wrapped it around her arm and began reading the book.