The Hero Who Returned From Death Quits

Chapter 32

32 – EP2. A Night’s Love

A hundred years.

I could return here almost a hundred years later.

Fighting, getting hurt, dying, and killing, I spent a century, even forgetting the scenery of my hometown.

However, the moment I sensed that this was my hometown, a single tear rolled down from my eyes.

“Finally…”

I began to walk, surveying the shabby wooden houses compared to the magnificent buildings of the empire.

And when I saw a meadow, a tingle ran through my head.

I remembered. It was the meadow where I used to play with my friends in my childhood.

And as I recalled that meadow, other places began to come back to me, one by one.

If I turn this alley, there’s Mr. Jin’s cabin, if I go straight this way, it’s Granny Mani’s place, and if I pass by this place…

I saw a woman bustling about in the place I had been to.

Her eyes turned red, and her nose twitched. Tears began to flow.

And she noticed me.

“…Angel? Is it really you, Angel?”

I took off my hood and replied.

“…Mom.”

I started running towards her.

“Oh my goodness! Honey! Come here!”

“Don’t you see I’m busy right now?”

“What could be more important than this? Come over here quickly!”

As I shouted, a middle-aged man walked towards us, muttering to himself.

“…You.”

And he too, had a stunned expression.

“Dad.”

Tears burst out.

They hugged me tightly and spoke.

“Oh my goodness, what is happening!”

“You come back after so many years, you wretched child! …It’s good to have you back.”

Mother and Father embraced me, choked with tears. I buried my head on their shoulders and cried too.

“After leaving to make it big in the empire, you run away and now come back after so many years….”

“Mom, Dad… I went to the empire… it was so hard…”

“Yes, my child. It’s alright now that you’ve come back. You’ve suffered so much that your hair has turned white. Yes, it’s alright.”

I couldn’t stop my tears, despite their reassurances.

“Oh, my precious child…”

And as we continued to embrace outside for a while, we heard footsteps approaching from the distance.

“Huh? What’s going on… Oh, who is this?”

He was the lord of my hometown. In reality, he was no different from a village chief.

“Angel! You’re not an angel, are you? After leaving home and worrying your parents, you’ve returned now!”

The lord approached me, separated my parents, and grabbed my face.

“Wow, you’ve become quite handsome after all these years. You’ve grown taller and more robust. I’ve seen you since you were born, but I never expected you to turn out this good-looking. It’s been a long time.”

The lord, who had always been an informal person, was genuinely delighted that I had returned. People started to gather as they heard the lord’s words.

“What’s going on, Lord?”

“Is our lord drinking again and talking nonsense?”

“No, you fools! There’s nothing disrespectful about our lord… Never mind that, look at who’s returned! It’s Angel, who ran away!”

“What? Telier’s son has come back?”

“Well, they say so! Come and see for yourself. He’s returned looking quite handsome!”

“Wow, is it really you? It’s been so long!”

The neighbors also welcomed me with joy.

“Well, this is not the time for this. Go to my castle quickly and fetch a pig! It’s a special day; we should have a celebration!”

“Come on, what’s with the castle.”

As the residents talked, the lord began to jump around excitedly. Objectively, the lord’s house was just a bit larger than the average house in this rural area, but he always called it Lord’s Castle.

“Angel, tell me honestly. You must have seen a lot in the empire, right? Honestly, if you compare where I live, is it a castle?”

I replied, “It’s a castle, the most splendid one I’ve ever seen.”

Upon hearing this, the lord’s complexion changed, and he said, “That’s right! This guy has seen the big world and come back more mature!”

“Well, it looks like he’s grown up a bit. He’s just trying to make us feel good intentionally.”

“Oh, these guys!”

They chatted like that with each other.

“Right, Telier! I’ll take care of the festival preparations, so you and your son can relax. Oh, and I’ll have some delicious food and wine ready for you!”

“Yes, thank you.”

My father bowed his head to the lord and then led me inside the house.

My father sat at the table, and I followed suit.

“So, after running away, how was it?”

“…I saw a vast, very vast world. Honestly, I can’t say it was great, but it was tough, and looking back, it was worth it.”

“…Sure, that’s fine. So, did you come here because it was difficult to live in the empire and you wanted to escape?”

“Yes, something like that.”

“…Your hair has turned completely white. And you even got a tattoo.”

“…I dyed my hair white intentionally, and the tattoo… well, it’s just for style, you know.”

“Sigh, my child returns after so many years, and now with a tattoo…”

My mother’s words pierced my heart.

“Hey, what’s the matter? This person, just returning now.”

Then my father took my hand and spoke.

“The empire had many battles with the Demon King’s army, and a hero killed the Demon King. Were you okay? It wasn’t dangerous, was it?”

I barely managed to open my mouth, feeling a piercing sensation in my chest.

From Noble mtl dot com

“…The empire is so vast. I just worked in a safe place.”

“Ah, I’m relieved to hear that.”

Then my father asked me various things, and I answered with various responses.

And then, from outside, the voice of the lord could be heard.

“Preparations are complete, come out! You have to show the transformed appearance to the villagers!”

My father burst into laughter.

“Come on, let’s go.”

With a crackle, the fire swallowed the firewood, and a whole pig skewered on a spit was being roasted. The pig smelled delicious as it turned golden brown.

When the pig was somewhat cooked, the lord began to cut the meat.

“Alright, Angel, go ahead and dig in first. You’re the protagonist of the festival, after all. Dip it in this special sauce that I made.”

I dipped the meat in the sauce and took a big bite. Truly, it was more delicious than any precious food I had eaten in the empire.

“Yes, it tastes even more enjoyable when eaten with appreciation. Alright, let’s make a toast for the return of Angel after such a long time!”

“To the return!”

The villagers enthusiastically clinked their glasses full of beer. I quickly drank my beer as well.

“You, your tolerance is no joke! Let’s see you pass out for once. Drink this!”

The lord poured another glass of beer for me, and I accepted it with a bow, downing it eagerly.

“Alright, since it’s a feast, why don’t you sing a song?”

A neighbor said to me, and I started to sing. I had no talent for singing, so my performance was mediocre at best, but the villagers laughed cheerfully.

“hahahahaha, you can’t sing in tune!”

“This person here has a good voice, but the singing… hahahahaha!”

It was mostly laughter meant to tease me, but still.

I took another sip of beer, feeling refreshed and happy.

I woke up from my sleep and sat up. There was nothing more joyful than getting up in my own house after a long time.

The refreshing morning air wrapped around my body, and the warm sunlight shone on me.

“So, nobody is there?”

“I have a lot to do, like weeding and other tasks…”

“And it’s dangerous too.”

“These wicked guys!”

People were gathered, and the lord was fuming in the midst of them.

“Is there not a single person willing to go on patrol with me?”

“Lord, why do we pay taxes to you?”

As I listened to the conversation, they were talking about patrol related to the village security. In typical noble families, knights or soldiers would be assigned patrols, but there was no such thing in this small village. So, since my birth, our village had always relied on the lord alone for patrols.

“Now I’m getting older and my bones ache, you wicked guys!”

The lord was almost in tears now. I raised my hand, silently listening to his words.

“No, do you think I want to patrol? To protect the village from monsters or criminals… Hm? Angel?”

I smiled and spoke.

“I will patrol with you too.”

“No, really?”

The lord’s expression changed in an instant.

And the people from the village started booing.

“Boooo!”

“Now the lord wants to make the newcomer do dangerous work!”

“That’s not right!”

The lord flinched and muttered softly.

“No, did I order it? They raised their hands first….”

My mother spoke to me.

“Angel, village security is tough and dangerous. I hope you won’t be in danger.”

I understood my mother’s concern, but as someone who had already reached a mastery level in swordsmanship, archery, magic, miracles, and even dark magic, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh, don’t worry about me. I have enough strength.”

“No, despite that….”

“Don’t worry. Haven’t I heard that I fight really well?”

Lord Yeongju patted my back with a big grin.

“That’s right, this guy brings me luck as soon as he returns. He gives me tax cuts, and of course, ample compensation.”

“No, it’s a given.”

“Our Lord Yeongju shamelessly makes such obvious remarks.”

When the villagers heard this, Lord Yeongju’s face turned red and he shouted.

“Shut up, all of you! Then, let’s have Anjelo help me patrol the village, and that’s it!”

And so, I was assigned to patrol the village.

…

“Right, the warrior went back to his hometown, right?”