Kassa and I are guided by the old man through the village. He points to one shoddy contruction job after the next.

“There lives Guran with his family. Y’know, they had a son that would be 17 today, but he got a little cocky and perished in the dungeon. Ah, over there is the house of old lady Akna. She came here with her husband a year ago, but he died in the dungeon to save some youngsters, and ever since, she has only been surviving on whatever scraps we can spare her. She has been bedridden for months now.”

One sad story after the other the other runs out of him, as I am led up a small hill in one end of the village. At the top is a house that look slightly more complete, although a bit smaller than the rest.

“This here is where I live. It ain’t much, but it’s the best this village has to offer.”

I feel a little like I am being manipulated.

“Why are you telling me all of this?” I ask him. He merely smiles bitterly, while posing another question.

“You, do you know how most people end up here?”

“You are criminals, are you not?” I remember the explanation from Gorar.

“Right, but do you know how most people become criminaIs?” don’t really know.

He shakes his a little slowly.

“For anyone greedy, there is the dungeon. Anyone brave and capable enough can get rich off the bounty of God. Then, why would someone turn to crime to enrich themselves?” He stares out the opening in the house, towards the center where people are preparing the feast.

“They are weak? Or afraid?” I guess, and he simply nods slowly.

“Now tell me, if you were to make a village, what people would you send?” It annoys me a little, that he keeps asking questions, but I think about it. Before I really start thinking, he speaks again.

“I would send people who could hunt with effort to spare, so that the early days of the village could be a little safer. I would make sure there was at least one well versed in construction, so that the buildings wouldn’t end up as a mess. I would send a good amount of women, so that the population could grow solidly.” All of the points make sense.

“But instead of those people, what we mostly have here are those weak and cowardly enough to steal. We are all from the city. The jobs we used to have had nothing to do with hunting, we are accustomed to buying our food with Asti. Noone knows how to properly build a house.”

Right, but I don’t if they only stole as their crimes, and even stealing should warrant punishment.

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“You might think thieves deserve such a fate, but what of those who are innocent? Guilty only by relation? You have already seen the kids, but most of the women too, are merely faithful ones who chose to stay with their husbands after they were sentenced to the frontier.”

I suddenly feel a little uncomfortable.

“You know the people I told you about on the way here? None of them were ever criminals, and only ended up here as a result of family. This whole village too, it has been some 50 years since it was founded, but no proper growth has ensued, the only real population growth comes from whenever a new shipment of weak cowards come every five years or so, most of whom are reluctant to risk their lives hunting, and pretty bad at it.”

He turns to face me, looking into my eyes.

“When they thought you had come to stay, they thought all of the pain and misery was about to end. They were about to have a life, where they didn’t need to fear for their own lives and that of their children. A life where they could eat enough. A life worth living” His eyes gleam. I feel guilty all of a sudden.

“Enough about that, how about you, what brings you out here?” He suddenly changes to a dapper and cheerful tone, giving me atmospheric backlash.

“I.. eh… Uhhh.” I can’t find my words due to the sudden confusion.

“Ah, let me guess, you are on the run from some noble or other. Our good duke perhaps?”

Eh? I mean, that is only one of the reasons, but how did he know?

“Your face tells me I was right. It’s a story you hear all the time. Some talented youngster scouted by a noble. The youngster doesn’t want to work for him, then has to run as the noble has the power, can threaten friends and family.” His eyes wander to Kassa, she cowers a little behind me.

“You said you were leaving, but where are you going to? This is the end of the world, metaphorically speaking.” He asks me.

I feel like the momentum that has been completely stolen from me is gently placed in a lap. I can’t help but answer.

“Just… Out there. Beyond the frontier. Try to find some other place without nobles or prejudice to live amongst.” I feel a little silly answering his question truthfully, but I was happy I got to speak again. Did I get tricked?

“Ah, but you know, it’s mostly empty wasteland out there” He remarks. “I have lived in this village for 28 years now, and we have not had a single encounter with another species. You have surely travelled to get there? Then you know how truly empty our world is, but out beyond the frontier, it is even worse. With no roads to guide you, you could wander for decades without finding anything.” He is right. I have tried wandering for a very long time without finding any civilization, when I ignored the roads. I look to Kassa. Could she handle it?

“And people would make a whole bunch of concessions if one as great as you settled down here. Noone would fault you for taking three wives, or even five! We have little interference from the duke, since we don’t produce enough to tax, so you could even treat this as your own little kingdom. Noone to lord over you till the day you die!”

It feels appealing to be at the top for once, but one thing is still a roadblock. I press Kassa’s hand a little.

“What if I were to say, think Sylvestri are equals?” I catch darting his eyes to the robed girl beside me and widen them a little, losing his smile in the process, but only for a split second. He then reapplied the kind smile and eyes in a heartbeat. Shit, I am really bad at being subtle.

“Sure, some might think it bizarre, but they can’t very well argue with their lifeline, now, can they?” He says.

I don’t know.

“But there is no hurry, is there? Why don’t you just try to stay here for a week, and see how that goes?”

He is right. I feel a pressure on me letting up as I agree. “Guess I will try” His smile widens slightly more.