A Drunkard’s Tears

[I think I just heard something outrageous. It must be my imagination, right?]

“Take me with you, please? Pretty please?”

“My dear Miss Fanny, that’s simply not possible!”

The main reason South Creek dared to take Jack to the city was because she had spellcraft. Although Elise had never taught her any offensive spells, that didn’t stop her from studying on her own. Jack, at least, was a young man and had some ability to protect himself in case of danger; at the very least, he could run. But Fanny was different. She had no magic and wasn’t particularly athletic. If they encountered any danger on the road to the city, South Creek couldn’t guarantee she could protect her.

“But I really want to go to the city! I’ve lived here for so many years, but I’ve barely even left the village!”

“But it’s too dangerous. What if we run into robbers or something? That would be terrible.”

South Creek tried her best to dissuade her, now regretting that she had ever mentioned going to the city. Having piqued the little tyrant’s curiosity, she knew it would be difficult to persuade her, no matter how eloquent she was.

“It is dangerous. Even if I don’t go, it would be dangerous for just the two of you. For the sake of your safety, I think I should probably tell Pastor Elise about this.”

“……”

She knew it would come to this. A plot like this, followed by such a threat, was as natural as drinking water. When she used to read novels, she would be thrilled by such dramatic twists, but when it happened to her, it was as agonizing as drinking nothing but vegetable soup for three months.

“Ugh… don’t look at me like that. I know this is a bit despicable… but you were the one hiding things from me first. Besides, using a little trick when you have to is allowed, right?”

Seeing South Creek’s expression twist, Fanny looked away, a hint of shame on her face. She knew what she was saying, but to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, she had steeled her resolve.

“You… you win.”

In the end, all South Creek could do was sigh helplessly. Logically, this matter had nothing to do with her; if Fanny tattled, Jack would be the one in trouble. But she just couldn’t bring herself to be ruthless. It was a strange feeling.

“Hehe… don’t be like that. How about I give you a bigger share of this bag of candy later?”

“You said it yourself…”

Muttering, South Creek felt utterly dejected. She was just about to head back to the night market to continue mooching food and drinks when she suddenly felt her foot kick something.

“What was that? Wow, that’s a strong smell of alcohol.”

“Damn it… damn it all! Why… ugh.”

On such a grand festival, there was no shortage of men drinking and carousing all night, so seeing someone dead drunk on the roadside wasn’t uncommon. The problem was, South Creek felt the voice was a little familiar.

“Wow, look at this guy. He’s had way too much to drink.”

Fanny had also spotted the drunkard on the roadside. They were still some distance from the night market, and while such drunks weren’t rare, finding one passed out here seemed a bit strange.

“Mmm… ugh, why… why… urgh… retch…”

[This person seems to be… that apprentice from the blacksmith’s shop.]

The man reeked of a mixture of alcohol and vomit, causing the two girls to take three steps back. But upon closer inspection, South Creek realized it was indeed Mr. Wede, the apprentice from the blacksmith’s shop.

“Why… would he be passed out here?”

The question arose in her mind. The man lying drunk on the ground was disheveled, his eyes vacant, his body covered in dirt. He was like a completely different person from the diligent and capable young man she knew.

“You know him?”

“He’s the apprentice at the blacksmith’s, Mr. Wede. I’ve met him a few times.”

Fighting back the stench, South Creek stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder.

“Mr. Wede, are you alright?”

“Barry, you bastard… I, ugh…”

“……”

“What’s wrong with you? Let’s just go back. Don’t worry about this guy.”

Fanny called out to her friend, clearly eager to get away from the reeking drunkard.

“I remember… Mr. Wede has a relative, doesn’t he…”

Lowering her gaze slightly, South Creek saw it: on that face, covered with mud, foam, and filth, there were the tracks of tears.

The impression Mr. Wede gave the villagers was always that of a cheerful and hardworking blacksmith’s apprentice, one who was always ready to help. The village elders praised him highly. But South Creek had once overheard some idlers gossiping on the street that this warm-hearted young man had lost both his parents at a very young age. With no one to care for him, he was raised by his elderly grandmother. After enduring countless hardships, he had finally managed to land an apprenticeship at the blacksmith’s.

South Creek didn’t know what all of this truly meant, but she knew that kind old grandmother. She thought that if Mr. Wede was just left here, drunk on the roadside, that gentle old woman would surely be heartbroken. She looked at the man on the ground, fell silent for a moment, and then turned to Fanny.

“How about… we carry him home? Something bad could happen if he’s left on the road like this, and… his house shouldn’t be far from here.”

“Huh?”

At first, Fanny didn’t react. After understanding South Creek’s words, she let out a sound of disbelief. On a festival like this, men passed out on the road were not uncommon, and in all these years, she’d never heard of anything bad happening to them. Besides, why should she care about some guy who had nothing to do with her?

“Come on, come on. Hmm… if you help me carry him back, I’ll promise to take you to the city with me. How about that?”

“…Honestly. You acting like this will just make people worry.”

After a moment of speechlessness, Fanny finally chose to step forward and help South Creek lift Wede. The two small girls, even with all their might, could only manage to half-drag the tall, sturdy man along the ground. With a heave-ho, the two girls began to move slowly down the country path, carrying a young man who was dead drunk.

“Who’s there… Don’t… mind me… I…”

“This guy is so heavy! I feel like I can’t walk anymore.”

“Be careful! Watch the road ahead.”

Little by little, though their progress was excruciatingly slow, after their tireless efforts, they finally arrived in front of an old and dilapidated wooden house.

“This is it, right? Don’t tell me you got it wrong.”

“That wind chime on the door… this is the place.”

With another great effort, the two girls carried Wede and rushed into the wooden house. The small room contained only two greyish wooden plank beds and a few chairs and tables that looked like they were about to fall apart. In a corner of the room, cooking utensils and farm tools were piled together haphazardly; upon closer inspection, one could even see traces of moss. The floor inside was not much cleaner than the ground outside, and occasionally a few unidentifiable crawling insects would pass by.

“Wh-what is this place? Let’s just put this guy on the bed and get out of here.”