24 Hearts

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The twenty-fourth fragment, Carpe Diem

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Serenia: The Central Fountain

Gentia was sitting on a bench while looking at the central fountain with her pipe in her mouth.

A stone statue of a beautiful woman holding a jar aloft stood above the fountain. From the jar flowed a stream of cool water, and lovers passing by the fountain laughed.

Couples and families were on the square, and mercenaries and adventurers took relaxing walks. Merchants were opening their stalls so that they could sell their wares.

They were all merchants who had gained permission from the lord to trade upon the square, so their stands were unified and neat, and none of them noisily hawked their goods to try and solicit customers.

The merchants dealt only with those customers who came to them out of their own volition.

Armed soldiers regularly patrolled due to the large crowds and to make sure no one operated illegal stalls. The security was good.

The central square was a peaceful scene, and it was seldom empty; only if it rained was it empty. Gentia inhaled the smoke as she waited for Judah and watched the people who passed her by.

She noticed two men walking toward her. They looked like skilled adventurers or at least men who had trained their bodies and were properly armed. When she met one of the men’s gaze, he skillfully winked at her. Gentia turned her head away with a frown, her expression showing her disgust.

However, the man didn’t know when to quit.

“How are you? I guess you’re of the Suin race! I saw you from a distance, and you’re so beautiful… So in the next moment, I decided to come to you because I want to talk to you. See, I’m trying to ask permission, but I’m already going to sit on the bench.”

“No, don’t sit down. Get off,” Gentia replied without a second’s hesitation, still frowning.

The man with the lively attitude had been about to sit down but stopped moving, then quickly sat down anyway. His smile was more of a smirk as he spoke again.

“Ah, this bench doesn’t have an owner, does it? It was installed so that anyone can sit here.”

“Yes? Let me stand up, then. You can sit here.”

Gentia stood up, saying no more, and her body language expressed the fact that she would hear no more, either. She had worked for countless men as a mercenary. Their reaction to her was the result of the rare peculiarity and beautiful appearance of the Suin race.

At first, it had been difficult to rebuff them, for she had been ignorant. By now, she could do it skillfully. She just didn’t give them any gaps.

If she hesitated even a little, the men often dug into the gaps in her defenses.

Of course, it was a comfort if they so easily gave up, like the man who had so rudely sat down. The persistent ones which she could not deter by talking understood only a show of force. Fortunately, most of them naturally fell apart as if they were but sandcastles.

The bench had been pleasant to sit upon, but Gentia figured that she could find another empty seat. She didn’t see one, though.

‘Where do I go? I have to wait here until Judah comes.’

Gentia walked around the central square. She noticed some people crowding around a bulletin board.

There had been nothing special on it earlier, but she headed closer out of curiosity. Because of the many people gathered, she couldn’t see the notice that has been posted. Instead, she listened to the conversation of those nearest the board who read the notice.

“Wow, my God. The wolves are trying to expand their territory into the eastern forest.”

“Is it at least the white wolves? Or not?”

“No wolf is a good wolf, whether black or white. By the way, the price of drugs will rise for the time being.”

Gentia prickled her ears as she listened to the murmuring around her. She could now roughly guess the contents of the notice: Black Wolves had appeared in the eastern forest.

She would have to squeeze past people to go and read, so she thought about it for a moment. It took her a short time to decide it wasn’t worth the hassle, so she decided to patiently wait whilst smoking. People chatted with each other as they left their spots, creating space for those behind them.

──────────────────────

By Decree of Lord Chapelin Peerchen

Recent eyewitness accounts report black wolves moving into the East Wood from the South Wood

It is through fortune that none have fallen victim to them, yet the future remains unclear

Citizens encountering the belligerent black wolves might lose their lives

Please refrain from entering the East Wood for the time being if possible

The East Gate will not be completely shut and access remains free

The city of Serenia will not be held accountable for your actions

Note that we shall provide woodcutters and herbalists with escorts of soldiers in the interim

All such persons must please gather at the time and location announced below

Meeting Time: 09:00

Escort Time: 09:00 to 15:00

Meeting Place: In front of the East Gate guardhouse after 8:30

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Gentia had held a vague suspicion that such an official notice would be posted eventually.

Still, she knew that there were exceptionally many black wolves heading into the eastern forest from the southern forest. Those who encountered such wolves and survived to report to Lord Peerchen were lucky indeed.

Wasn’t Judah planning to go hunting black wolves in a few days?

After Gentia had read the post, she left the bulletin board so that others could see it, just as those before her had done. She sighted an empty bench nearby.

Gentia walked toward it with long strides and sat down. It was far more comfortable to be seated.

As she smoked, she thought about the notice.

‘Hmm, what would drive the black wolves out of their territory?’

Black wolves should be viewed as monsters rather than animals, but even so, they would not be fleeing from their old territory without reason.

Usually, the only time when a predator departs its hunting grounds is if it is pushed out after a power struggle with its own species or if a stronger predator of another species appears.

The wolves are the apex predators of the forest, so Gentia had no choice but to assume that the black wolves had been forced out after losing a battle over territory with the white wolves.

‘It looks like it will be dangerous. ‘

If all of the black wolves were moving to the eastern woods, hunting them there would be suicide. It would be the same as heading straight into the southern forest through the south gate.

Both areas were now dangerous. As Gentia thought about it for a moment, someone silently sat down next to her. Her sharp tiger eyes moved sideways.

‘You dare sit next to me without a word?’

With a mixture of displeasure and irritation, she quickly looked at the person seated next to her. It was Judah: A cute-looking boy with dark hair.

Just before she met his gaze Tia’s demonic visage shifted into an angelic face. Her change of expression was instantaneous.

It had taken Gentia less than a second to turn her flesh-tearing eyes into eyes warm with affection. She now spoke softly.

“You’re here?”

“Yes, I called from afar, but you were silent.”

“I was thinking for a moment. Did you buy all the bread?”

Judah opened the packet that was in his hand and showed Gentia its contents. All her favorite sandwiches had been packed inside. Gentia pulled one out to eat right away. She stopped smoking as she started unfolding the wrapping.

“But what were you thinking about?”

“There is an official letter on the bulletin board.”

“An official letter? Oh, that’s why people are gathering. Wait a minute. I’ll go see it.”

Judah got up from the bench, but Gentia grabbed his wrist and pulled him back into his seat. She seemed to have no intention of letting him go.

“Don’t go. I’ll explain.”

Judah remained seated, and Gentia gestured that he should take a sandwich for himself.

“It looks like the black wolves from the southern forest are beginning to move into the eastern forest. Hunters other than us seem to have witnessed the black wolves, and so the officials are asking everyone to refrain from entering the forest. Other than that, there is nothing particularly relevant to us.”

“It’s good news.”

“Huh? Why? What?”

“I’m gaining experience by hunting black wolves, so don’t you think that it’s a good thing? It’s dangerous, but it doesn’t seem like that big a problem.”

Judah had a positive attitude. Gentia stared at the fearless boy who had begun to chew on a sandwich of his own.

Well, stressing about going into danger is a useless worry. Judah’s going to hunt black wolves anyway, but what if their numbers are too great? Then I can take him and flee.

Others might say it’s impossible, but Gentia was confident. Judah could be saved as long as hundreds of wolves didn’t attack at once.

“Then, shall we hunt wolves while camping in the eastern forest for a few days?”

“Black wolf skins are sold at high prices. I want to earn money this time.”

As Judah said, black and white wolf pelts fetch good prices. It possesses good compatibility with magic, so it can be sold to the Tower. It also has a fairly excellent texture, provides good thermal insulation, and has high durability. Furthermore, Judah also has a [bag], which Gentia knows as a subspace. Once the wolves are skinned, there would be no difficulty in transporting their pelts.

“Hey, that’s a good idea. The killing ratio will be four to six, okay? Of course, I take the six.”

Judah immediately nodded at Gentia’s words; it didn’t matter much to him.

“Okay, then—Shall we do some shopping today?”

“Is it a date?” Judah asked.

Hearing such mischievous words, Tia stroked Judah’s hair; he seemed so cute. She smiled and replied, “Of course. Why- Do you hate dating your teacher?”

“What, do you hate it?” Judah asked after a moment’s silence, acting as if he was somewhat offended.

“I asked first.”

Hearing those words, Judah wiped his mouth. A piece of salad from the sandwich was on his finger, so he ate it. Then he gave his reply with a wide smile.

“There’s no way I hate it, is there? I might not like it if it was with someone else, but I do like it if it is with TiA.”

Tia felt her heart beat faster as she heard those words. There is an expression ‘fluttering of the heart.’ Is this it?

“I thought you were just a kid, so where did you learn to say such things?”

“Why? Can’t a kid say that?”

Tia said, “Well,” and looked at Judah meaningfully, “it wasn’t bad.”

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That’s right: Blessed are the believers.

Oh, and some of you said that I have excellent writing skills. I feel very good, but please don’t do anything like that. I’ll become arrogant. Haha.

And even if you praise me like this, nothing comes out. Still, I feel good, so I put it up and go to bed.