Home/The Seven-Year-Old Village Chief of Exile/ch 36

Chapter 36

"Eek...!"

Startled by my force, Uncle Modi whimpered.

"What? You dare refuse my proposal?"

"O-of course I'll train! I'll definitely do it!"

"Then why are you crying so cutely..."

"I-I have a wife!"

"......"

"I can't betray my wife, to whom I swore eternal love! How could I, with Prellia, ever... with a little girl like Hebenia...!"

What is this feeling?

I should be happy that Uncle Modi is such a perfectly normal adult.

'But somehow, I feel annoyed.'

Probably because of Ian and Verity laughing their heads off behind me.

I pinched both their sides firmly and turned back to Uncle Modi.

"Your wife's name is Prellia. A pretty name."

"I-isn't it?"

Uncle Modi said with a much more relaxed face.

"I always called her Pre-Pre. My Pre-Pre, like a little mimosa, called me Mo-Mo..."

"......"

Along with the realization that I'd just heard useless information, a new worry arose.

Uncle Modi was the longest-serving prisoner in the exile camp. He'd been unjustly imprisoned for a full eight years.

'Eight years, and her husband in exile...'

In my opinion, his wife had probably already remarried and started a new life.

But Uncle Modi looked so happy reminiscing about his beloved wife that I couldn't bring myself to say it.

Ian and Verity were also shaking their heads violently, hands on their sides—telling me not to voice what I was thinking.

'I know.'

And this anxiety was likely shared by other villagers.

'Some, like Libby unnie, may have given up on meeting their families.'

In the end, my plan to throw Uncle Modi into the primeval forest immediately to awaken his aptitude was put on hold for now.

'No choice.'

I'll just have to start tomorrow.

---

The next morning.

I introduced the village tradition to the new residents, Pania and Nulla.

"Our village gathers every morning to do exercises like this."

"...That's a tradition?"

Ian, stretching lightly, chuckled.

"It's been an event since the village was founded, so it's a long-standing tradition."

"Well, I guess it's good for building unity."

Today, Verity took the lead and demonstrated the exercises.

For the music, we either listened to whatever came on the radio that Bleached Demon had left behind, or I requested specific songs from Verity.

'Are the radio frequencies based on Korea?'

I suddenly wondered how the radio worked.

'Oh, does that mean I can bring my stuff from Korea too?'

I resolved to ask Verity about it later, and I danced enthusiastically to the lyrics of a song about a pitiful woman clinging to a man who'd left.

"Oh my, our village chief is so energetic this morning."

"By the way, why is she holding her pinky to her mouth?"

"It's funny and cute, isn't it? It's really hilarious to watch."

"...She didn't drink, did she?"

As soon as the exercises ended, I ran to Verity.

"Oh, my Lady. That was really funny today..."

"Can I bring things from the place I used to live?"

At my sudden question, Ian blinked rapidly.

"That's an abrupt question, but yes."

At his affirmative, I clenched my fist.

"But the price will be high."

"Hmph, a few drops of my spit should be enough..."

"For example, one book would cost a finger."

"...What?"

I froze, having been acting so smug with my arms crossed.

Verity's face appeared right in front of mine. His demonic smile was utterly wicked.

"The place where my Lady stayed isn't registered with the demon world for summoning, so it takes a lot of effort."

"Th-there are such places?"

"Do you remember the Interdimensional Alliance I mentioned before?"

I nodded slowly.

'That was the day I first met Verity.'

Back then, I thought I had possessed a child's body. I tried to ask to confirm, but learned many things instead, and that's how I came across the Interdimensional Alliance.

"That world where my Lady stayed isn't part of the Alliance. For reference, demon summoning is only possible in approved worlds that belong to the Alliance."

"......"

"So to bring things from there, you have to pay a much higher price than usual. Since you're a Clavis, one finger might be enough to cover..."

"W-wait! Just a moment!"

There was a huge contradiction in what Verity had just said.

"Then what about the songs that played during the exercises?"

Those were definitely Korean songs.

Every morning exercise song that had played on the radio so far was either a K-pop song or a classical piece I used to enjoy.

Not only that.

The audio system installed in the village hall had a karaoke function, and all the backing tracks were from TX and GeumX Media.

Not to mention my beloved scooter.

And several children's books I'd picked up to give to Flora.

Hadn't we already brought so many things from there?

"Hmm..."

Verity let out a groan at my objection.

Then he darted his eyes around and gave me a meaningful look.

'What is it, why is he acting like that?'

Is he trying to seduce me?

Just as I frowned and tucked my chin in, I gasped.

This situation, where Verity was refusing my request.

His evasive attitude when answering my questions.

"Unfortunately, there's a prior petitioner."

"A prior petitioner?"

"A wish that says if you wish to know about the Emperor's schemes, don't grant it. Quite sneaky and unlucky, isn't it?"

Oh my god.

"Again?"

Is the Clavis family head popping up again here?

'At this point, with this much presence, you should just show up yourself...!'

I was so flabbergasted by my grandfather's constant appearances that I was speechless.

"Let me say this in advance."

Verity spoke in a crawling tone, as if gauging my reaction. There was no need for him to be cautious since I wasn't really angry.

"I really don't know much. I was thrown in here immediately after receiving the Bleached Lord's orders."

But Verity told me what little he did know.

"If my Lady requests something, I should help as much as possible, but for material wishes—things like wanting a specific object—I'm to provide what they've prepared..."

"'They'?"

"You know."

The Clavis.

In other words, not just the radio and audio system, but the children's books, the scooter, and every other item I'd wanted—they were all from Korea.

"However."

Verity said.

The Clavis family head's prior wish didn't end there.

"If my Lady ever wants something she left behind in her original world, I'm to charge a higher price than usual."

"What?"

"Haha, it's unlucky, isn't it?"

"Damn that old geezer!"

"I entirely agree with that sentiment."

After laughing at my indignation, Verity said.

"Therefore, I have a suggestion for you and the villagers. May I propose it at the next village meeting?"

I tilted my head at Verity's polite request.

"Of course. You're a resident of our village."

"......"

"Are you trying to avoid taxes by pretending you're not? I'm planning to collect taxes from you too, Verity."

"...If you hadn't said that, I might have been moved for quite a while."

Verity gave a hollow smile and teased me, saying I was a spitting image of the Clavis family head.

Now that I knew it was an insult, I immediately jabbed Verity in the side with my finger.

---

The next day.

"Aaaah!"

"Ah! Aah! Help meeee!"

"Swing it! Swing it and land at least one hit!"

"Kyaaa!"

"Don't stop swinging your arms! Swing the club too!"

While the village adults focused on training with Verity, beating monsters.

I was a short distance away, using a trowel to dig up soil from the primeval forest and filling burlap sacks.

At the same time, I was mulling over my conversation with Verity yesterday.

'I was too worked up yesterday to realize it, but in the end, the Clavis had prepared Korean items for me in advance.'

For their youngest, who had been left behind.

Only for me.

"...Hehe."

I smiled foolishly for a moment, then quickly covered my mouth with both hands.

'What are you smiling about!'

I couldn't forgive myself for being so easily moved by a little kindness.

'B-but still, Korea isn't part of that Interdimensional Alliance thing, so bringing things over requires a huge price...'

Even though I still couldn't accept the Clavis, two conflicting feelings—wanting to defend them for paying such a price for me—kept clashing.

'I'm such an easy person.'

Still, I couldn't deny that I felt some fondness for the Clavis for the first time.

"He-Hebeniaaa!"

"Hurry and put up a barrier! Aaaah!"

"Oh dear."

Snapping out of my thoughts, I quickly erected a barrier around the adults.

A wolf-like monster, drooling white foam, lunged at the barrier with its jaws wide open.

But my barrier wasn't easily broken by that kind of force anymore.

"You're already asking for my Lady's help? What's the point of that?"

Verity, who was with the adults, grumbled in displeasure.

"You have to train with the determination to land at least one hit!"

"Ugh..."

"Hmm..."

This training session had four participants.

The Agent Who Follows the Absolute, Uncle Modi.

The Bloody Berserker, Aunt Nema.

The Bard Who Comforts the World, Uncle Organ.

The Prophet Who Reads Fate, Aunt Deiph.

Among them, the one Verity paid the most attention to was Aunt Nema, whose physical-type aptitude was 'Bloody Berserker.'

"Aunt Nema, what did you do in the outside world? Did you spend your days spanking unruly people? Your skill with that club is no joke."

"I-I was just an ordinary clothing store employee..."

Aunt Nema seemed overwhelmed by the attention.

She still questioned why her aptitude was 'Berserker.'

"My Lady!"

Just then, Verity waved his arm and called out.

I, who had been watching the training from a short distance away, quickly approached.

"Let's head back soon. It's almost noon, as promised."

"Yes, sir."

At that, the adults clasped their hands together as if in prayer and shed tears of joy.

"Other people endured this grueling training for five days..."

Uncle Modi, using his club as a cane, stood up with difficulty and muttered gloomily.

The others also seemed worried about the future training.

This session had lasted only two hours.

Not only was there no outside schedule, but Verity had also suggested systematically planning the villagers' training.

"I'm going to start doing things properly from now on."

"What?"

"The training."

"Oh dear."

I saw it.

The adults' miserable moment of forced social smiles—unable to show their despair openly.

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