A King is Born on the Road

They entered the village, but there was no one in sight.

Hayer, unable to contain his curiosity, opened the door of the house in front of him, and stepped back in surprise. Iris’s body began to tremble, wondering what the fearless man was surprised to see.

However, after taking a quick look inside the house, it occurred to her that it was just that each person was afraid of something different.

“…A puppy?”

There was a puppy made of mud in front of her.

When Iris peered further into the door, there were people.

Inside the house, there was a couple who looked about five or six years older than Iris and Hayer. On the chair between them was a child made of mud, and the couple was stroking the head, as if the mud were their real child.

Hayer said, appalled by this strange atmosphere.

“I’ve never seen anything so strange.”

Iris was dumbfounded by the words and stared at Hayer

“I don’t think it’s as strange as the monsters you’re dealing with.”

“Ah.”

Hayer belatedly realized and nodded.

“That’s true, when I first saw a walking monster, I thought it was very strange. I must have gotten used to it after seeing it for so long.”

Iris thought about whether that was something to get used to, when she heard a voice from behind.

“Uh?”

As the two turned around almost at the same time, a boy of about ten years old, startled by the intruders, dropped firewood from his arms.

Hayer hurriedly opened his bag and took out a bundle of paper. It was a torn up book with the part about traitors in history.

Iris muttered in disbelief at the extravagant behaviour.

“I can’t believe you ripped the book and brought it.”

“It’s too heavy to bring everything.”

“Asheri must have a lot of money.”

“Yes, they have a lot. Didn’t you know?”

Hayer asked casually, and flipped through the book pages. He soon found what he needed.

[Cadella’s Treason]

[Cadella, an 11-year-old boy, lunged at the king with a knife]

[The parents who raised the traitor were executed before the child]

[The boy Cadella is punished by being put in the Traitor’s Labyrinth]

“I think it’s him. He came in here 60 years ago.”

Hayer quickly reached out and grabbed Cadella’s arm while he was speaking. It was because the boy was holding Hayer’s wrist with a sharp stone.

Hayer grabbed the boy’s arm that held the stone and lifted him up with one hand. When Hayer, who was twice as tall, raised his hand, Cadella dangled.

“Let me go! Noona*, tell him to release me!”

“What 71-year-old would call someone a noona?”

Hayer said and shook Cadella jokingly.

Cadella said, struggling.

“It’s mine! Everything that comes into this town is mine! You can’t go out again! Do you understand?”

Iris said after seeing Cadella shouting, hitting with his other hand and kicking, and Hayer blocking him leisurely with one hand, as if he were playing.

“I thought the traitor would be a little stronger.”

Hayer replied to the remark.

“Of course he’s strong.”

“He doesn’t look strong?”

“Getting close to the king and wielding a knife means breaking through the most capable guard in the country.”

“This kid?”

“Yes.”

When Iris still didn’t believe it, Cadella said.

“Don’t be fooled by appearances. I’m actually incredibly strong.”

When he said so with his own mouth, Iris nodded with an ‘ah.’

After that brief explanation, Cadella struggled again.

“Let go of me! I will bite you!”

“Ah.”

Cadella bit the hand he saw close by.

Hayer couldn’t bear to hit the child’s face and was bitten once, then he pried open his teeth with the strength of his fingers and covered his mouth.

At last, in a quiet state, Hayer muttered.

“I think he’s a sorcerer*. Or the leader of a strange religion.”

“Is sorcery possible?”

“I heard it was a long time ago.”

Hayer replied and let Cadella go. Then he found the history book he brought back.

“Hmm. There could be a sage here.”

“A sage… His Majesty executed all of them.”

Hayer gave Iris the history book, watching over Cadella, who was kicking him wildly.

Iris checked, and sure enough, there was a sage on the list of traitors.

“If there’s a sage, we’ll be able to ask about the sacred tree.”

At Hayer’s words, Iris paused and looked at him.

Hayer laughed when he realized her intentions.

“Are you worried about finding out who my father is?”

“A little bit.”

“Is it okay to marry a man who doesn’t even know whose son he is?”

When Hayer asked playfully, Iris answered firmly.

“I’ve never considered it important.”

Hayer paused at Iris’s words.

It was as she said. Hayer, too, knew Iris wouldn’t care about that. After hearing it like that, he felt strangely relieved.

Hayer said with a smile.

“Actually, I want to know, biological father. I think it would be painful if King Eswa was my father.”

Saying that, Hayer let go of Cadella, who stopped kicking meaninglessly. Then the boy said.

“Does this guy have a heart of a traitor too?”

“That’s what happened.”

“Anyhow, Lepos person, noona… No, you.”

Cadella revised the title, recalling that he was 71.

Iris nodded.

“Yes.”

“Are you royalty? Then do you know the way out?”

“Perhaps.”

Iris, who was talking like that, suddenly stumbled.

Hayer embraced Iris urgently.

“Damn it.”

Hayer noticed that the little sorcerer had done a trick on them.

Cadella said to Hayer, who glowered at him.

“I-I didn’t know you’re from the Lepos family… It’s just the magic I did earlier is working now!”

“……”

“You walked the same way, are you strong?”

Cadella looked at Hayer with wonder.

Hayer glared at Cadella, picked up Iris, and staggered to the entrance of the village.

Then Cadella hurriedly blocked it.

“Let’s go together!”

“……”

“I won’t do anything. I promise. Please go with me.”

Hayer clicked his tongue at Cadella’s words. Then he had no choice but to lay Iris down on the spot and wrapped her in the blanket he brought.

He (Cadella) needed Iris, but he thought he might kill her. Therefore, he thought he should leave this place even more.

However, no matter how old he was at 71, he begged in the form of a child, so he couldn’t do that at all.

* * *

Iris had a long dream and came to her senses first. When she raised her upper body with a headache, she heard a thud from the side.

When Iris turned around, Cadella was kicking Hayer wildly.

“Damn you! Damn you!”

“He’s going to die.”

“He won’t die. This guy is really strong. More than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

Cadella said and kicked Hayer again.

“Unlucky jerk!”

When he slowly stopped, she wondered if he was tired from kicking like that or if he just felt better.

Iris forcibly dragged herself to Hayer’s side and asked.

“Why isn’t he getting up?”

“I cast a much stronger spell than yours.”

“Is he dead?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think this guy will die.”

At Cadella’s words, Iris brought her ear to his nose. She heard him breathing normally.

Iris said with relief.

“You’re fine.”

“He’s fine? If you got hit like this, even an elephant would have died!”

“You said he wouldn’t die.”

“……”

Cadella paused, sniffed for no reason, and sat down beside her.

“I hate adult men. Because I can’t become one.”

Iris nodded her head once, thinking that Cadella was very upset.

Iris stared at Hayer, who was asleep with one hand on his chest and his head turned slightly, and she said.

“But you didn’t step on his face.”

“Because he didn’t hit me in the face either.”

“He didn’t even hit you.”

“That made me feel worse. I look young, but I’m 71 years old!”

“…Even if it’s a 71-year-old’s face, wouldn’t it not be possible to hit?”

“……”

Iris was right.

Cadella paused and soon said, acting differently.

“Anyway, when the wandering traitors arrive in this town, I show them hallucinations. Then they become happy. The maximum sentence is 170 years. In the meantime, you live happily in my hallucinations and then you die.”

“You’re doing a good job.”

“D-do you think so?”

Cadella looked at Iris with sparkling eyes.

Iris nodded.

“Yes. I think so.”

Then, Cadella jumped up and down with excitement as if he had waited for this moment.

“I’m sure all the traitors who came in here will. There’s nothing to do but reflect on yourself all day. Lepos, I’m gonna be a really good subordinate. Take me out. Pick me!”

Iris stared at Cadella. Then she opened her mouth.

“If you go out, the hallucinations of the people here will go away, right? The couple earlier will also lose their child.”

“Yes.”

“Then what should you do?”

For a moment, Cadella’s movement stopped.

afterword

noona: honorific title a man uses when referring to a woman older than him

sorcerer/sorcery: word used also means magic, black arts, illusion(?) etc.