kscans

Chapter 117 - Until We Meet Again 2. Departure and Homecoming

"Thank you for your extended hospitality."

"Not at all. If anything, I’ve been in your debt this whole past month, Yuri-kun."

"Ahaha, surely that’s not true."

Yuri chuckled lightly, but the eyes of those around him were lukewarm. It was the gaze of people who understood all too well, for better or worse, the various things Yuri had a habit of doing unwittingly.

"Yuri-kun, if possible, I’d like to see you again after the new year."

"Ah, yes. You’re right... there are a few things we should probably discuss... but I have my own farm work to attend to..."

As Yuri tried to recall his farming schedule and figure out a good time, Old Man Audel, a veteran in that field, came to his aid.

"The farm work won’t get busy until after the middle of April. Before that, you shouldn’t have to rush so much, don’t you think?"

"But isn’t there still snow around that time, making travel difficult?"

It was Kudol, the leader of the "Lucky Footsteps," who answered Yuri’s question. They had been hired to escort them to End Village again, mainly based on the judgment that it was better to have fewer people know Yuri’s secrets. According to Kudol,

"No, around March, there’s still some snow left, but the snow on the main roads has mostly melted. It’s a bit muddy, but as long as you don’t mind that, there’s no problem."

"Oh, is that so?"

"March is also right around the time of the Great Market, so I don’t think you’ll regret coming."

It was Dona who reacted with a twitch to Adon’s words, but Yuri just looked puzzled.

"The Great Market... you say?"

"Oh... right, I suppose you didn’t know, Yuri-kun..."

Adon went on to explain that in this country, and apparently in the neighboring countries as well, large-scale markets were held in various towns around March. Caravans would come not only from nearby villages but also from towns far away, engaging in commerce with the locals and merchants from other places.

"All sorts of goods that aren’t normally available are brought in, so many people look forward to it."

"Wow... products from other towns..."

Seeing Yuri take the bait just as he’d planned, Adon grinned to himself in satisfaction. Old Man Audel shot his old friend a look that was half exasperated and half reproachful. And then there were Yuri and Dona, their interest piqued by the spring’s Great Market. This scene, however, didn’t last long. A voice announced that the carriage was ready, and everyone snapped back to reality.

"Well then, Yuri-kun..."

"Yes, let’s meet again next spring."

Three days after leaving the city of Laurenzen, Yuri’s party, unlike their trip there, arrived safely back in End Village without any accidents. That night, as was tradition, a banquet was held in the village. It was to celebrate the safe return of the three, Yuri included, and also to thank the driver and guards who had brought them this far. Yuri knew it was just an excuse for the villagers to drink and make merry, so he didn’t make the boorish move of refusing. In fact, he had anticipated this and provided a cask of liquor he had bought in Laurenzen, earning him the villagers’ cheers.

"Sorry to make you go to such trouble, Yuri-kun."

"No, it’s the least I can do. Thanks to your advice, Old Man Audel, I even came into some easy money."

No matter his appearance, Yuri was a thirty-seven-year-old, plus five, man on the inside. Being considerate is a basic skill for a Japanese adult.

"...Speaking of which, Yuri-kun, what are your plans for the New Year’s festival?"

"The New Year’s festival?"

"Yes. Every village holds a celebration to welcome the new year..."

"Ah... I appreciate the invitation, but... coming out in the snow is..."

"That’s true..."

"At the foot of that mountain... the snowfall must be terrible."

"I have to do all the village’s snow shoveling and clearing the snow off the roofs... all by myself..."

"Wow..."

"...Should I come help?"

"Mmm. The path to my village itself will be buried in snow, so..."

"That’s the thing, isn’t it..."

"I’ve managed on my own so far, so I’ll be fine."

In truth, Yuri could just blow the snow away with Wind Magic or Non-Elemental Magic, but if outsiders came, they would only slow things down since they couldn’t use magic. That was the fear.

"Well, I’ll just celebrate the New Year alone, like always."

"If anything happens, you come down to the village, you hear?"

"Okay, thank you, Dona."

Dona, the young girl, didn’t consider the possibility that something might happen on the way down. And Yuri, the child, watched Dona, the child, with an affectionate smile.

"Ah, the village chief is coming this way. I think he said he had something to talk to you about, Yuri. It might be about that."

"Oh? I wonder what it is."

The village chief’s news was that the lord had wanted to meet Yuri about the lye extraction method. Unfortunately, the lord had to go to the royal capital on business and would be unable to meet him.

"Um... is he telling me to come to the royal capital?"

He hoped not, but it seemed he wouldn’t have to go that far. The lord understood that he would be busy with the harvest and knew that his home would be snowed in during the winter. So, the lord had two messages. First, he asked that Yuri not spread the lye extraction technique for the time being, and if he had told anyone in Laurenzen, to tell him who it was. The second was that the lord wanted to meet him next spring if he could find the time. The terms were acceptable to Yuri, though honestly, he had no desire to meet a lord, so he nodded in agreement.

After a night of drinking and merriment, Yuri bid farewell to the villagers the next day and returned to his home.

‘Welcome back, Yuri.’

‘Welcome back.’

‘I’m home.’

Yuri exchanged greetings with his familiar little birds who came to welcome him.

‘The buckwheat and stuff are already bearing fruit.’

‘Whoa... I have to make up for all the time I slacked off...’

That’s right. Yuri had come back. To his own village, his own house. And, to his own daily life.

‘There are new things I have to do, too... This is going to be a whirlwind for a while.’

His usual life was about to begin.