Chapter 8: A Table Set for Eight

Even the morning after I became the village’s guardian, my bed was outside the fence.

Just because someone has a title doesn’t mean their lifestyle will suddenly change.

Villagers go out into the fields at sunrise, feed their livestock, and clean up areas that have been ravaged by bandits. I walk near the forest and check for any strange smells or footprints.

The wound on his right hind leg had healed considerably.

Although it still hurts when I run, it doesn’t bother me when I walk normally. The peeled scales on my side no longer bother me unless I touch them.

“Val, good morning!”

Lina waves from the field.

“Guru”

“You look like you’re doing well today.”

It’s no longer a secret that Lina can understand words.

The man nearby also turned his head towards me.

“Did you see something in the forest?”

I shake my head.

“I see. Then it seems okay to go in and pick up some firewood.”

The man put the basket back on his back and headed towards the forest.

Not long ago, if you looked at me, you would see people holding hoes and spears.

I think things will change if things change.

However, not everyone.

There are people who watch from a distance, and some houses don’t let their children out of the fence while I’m nearby.

That’s fine.

Trust is not something that will increase together with everyone just by making a promise once.

When I was about to look around the north side of the village, a voice rose from the south.

“Someone is coming!”

The atmosphere has changed.

Dario stops his work and immediately picks up his bow.

I also headed south along the fence.

I thought the thief had returned, but the sounds of approaching footsteps were scattered.

There’s no one running.

Among the smells on the wind, there is also the smell of blood mixed with sweat and mud.

“You have children.”

Dario focused his eyes on the road ahead.

Eventually, eight figures appeared.

There were five adults.

Three children.

Everyone is extremely tired.

Very few people were carrying a proper amount of baggage on their backs. Only carrying what looked like cloth wrappers, pots, and blankets, one man was dragging one leg and leaning on the shoulder of the man next to him.

“Stop right there!”

Dario exclaimed.

The man in the lead immediately raised his hands.

“I have no intention of fighting! Please, give me some water!”

My voice is hoarse.

The village chief also came out.

“Where did you come from?”

“It’s on the other side of the mountain.”

“What is the name of the village?”

the man answered.

It was a name I had never heard before.

“What happened?”

“Rock Ape entered”

Dario frowns.

“Are they the ones in the rocky area?”

“Ah. There’s a rocky area beyond the ridge over there. I came down from there.”

The man in the lead continued with a tired look on his face.

“At first there were just a few of them. They were just taking potatoes from the field. I thought I could get rid of them.”

“Has it increased?”

“There were more than ten of them. They climbed onto the roof and even threw rocks at us. They ransacked our food store and injured two people who tried to chase them away.”

I look towards the mountain.

It seems that the Rock Apes are not directly visible from Rue Village.

Beyond one ridge.

At least, it didn’t seem like they were going to rush here right now.

“Those who remained scattered.”

says the man.

“Some people went in other directions relying on their relatives. We had children and injured people, so we came over the mountains.”

The village chief looked at the eight people in turn.

“Let’s get the water out first. Let’s check on the injured.”

“That’s helpful.”

“However”

The village chief’s voice did not change.

“I can’t say yet that I can live here.”

The man looked down a little.

“…I know.”

The village women bring water.

After eight people received it, one woman noticed me.

“Ryu…!”

I pulled the child I was holding closer to my chest.

Even the injured man strengthened his body.

“Why is there a dragon?”

“Don’t draw your weapon.”

Dario stepped in.

“This guy won’t attack the village.”

“A dragon?”

“Now I’m the protector of this village.”

What appeared on the eight people’s faces was not understanding but confusion.

I think it’s natural.

If I received the same explanation, I wouldn’t believe it right away.

Don’t do anything unnecessary and just sit there.

When the eight people realized that I wasn’t moving, their tension finally eased a little.

For now, they were gathered near an empty storeroom in the village.

Treatment began for the injured man, and a thin porridge was served to everyone.

As I was watching this, I noticed that the villagers’ expressions were not bright at all.

“Eight people…”

A man near the village chief said softly.

“I can handle it as long as I let him eat today. But if I let him live like this, it’s a different story.”

“I know.”

“We don’t have any left over here either.”

It wasn’t said in a cold way.

I guess there isn’t actually any left.

Even though the meat from the fanged boar has been added, it does not mean that the damage to the fields has been restored.

If you have eight more mouths to eat, of course your weight will decrease faster.

“Are you going to kick me out?”

Lina asked anxiously.

The man looked troubled.

“It’s not that simple.”

“But you don’t have anywhere to go, do you?”

“That’s why I’m in trouble.”

I’m not angry.

That’s why those words were so heavy.

The village chief looked at the eight people.

“Let’s hear from the people themselves.”

Adults were called.

“If you want to stay here, I want you to tell me first. What have you been doing for a living up until now?”

The first man answers.

“I worked in the fields. I had a lot of potatoes and beans. I could also take care of some livestock.”

Another man opens his mouth.

“I was helping with the charcoal grilling. I just…”

I see a man next to me with an injured leg.

“This guy won’t be able to move properly for a while.”

The injured person looks down in frustration.

One of the women also said.

“I can do a little bit of mending clothes. But I have a small child, so I can’t work all day.”

The remaining man did not seem to have any special job, and was making a living by helping out in the fields and collecting firewood.

Of course, the three children cannot be counted as workers.

If you ask me, they weren’t a convenient group that could do anything.

The number of people eating is eight.

Only some of these adults are able to work fully right away.

Still, they are humans who have created their own lives in this world. It doesn’t mean you can’t do anything.

“Are there any seeds left?”

the village chief asks.

The man in the lead brought out a small cloth bag.

“This is all I took with me when I ran away. Potatoes and beans.”

The village chief opens the bag and checks what’s inside.

It didn’t seem like there were many.

“This is not enough to eat on its own.”

“I know.”

“I can’t decide right away.”

The village chief returned the bag.

“At least you can rest today. I’ll serve you food until tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll consult with you as well.”

Eight people bowed their heads.

I watched the exchange from a little distance away.

Even though I just became a protector, the old question of whether to protect has already come up.

If you accept people, safety is not the only thing you need.

There’s food.

There’s water.

I also need a place to sleep.

If I find another fanged boar, I might be able to fill my stomach for a few days.

But I can’t do that every time.

Even the beasts in the forest are not infinite, and it’s not like I can take down large prey whenever I want.

In the first place, I didn’t think humans could continue to live by eating only meat.

In the evening, we talked about how we couldn’t let eight people sleep under the rain.

We decided to clean out an old, unused storage room, but it was too small for all eight of us to lie down on.

“Would you like to add a simple roof here?”

“There’s one pillar.”

“Can you move this beam?”

Villagers surround a piece of wood placed on the ground.

It’s thick and long.

A few people were trying to change positions, but it seemed like they didn’t have enough manpower as some were injured in the fight with the bandits.

I approached.

“Val?”

Dario looks at me.

Try hanging your front legs on the wood.

It’s difficult to lift.

However, it seemed possible to move it if it were to slide on the ground while lifting the edge a little.

“Are you going to move it?”

They nodded.

“Then, go over there.”

Dario pointed out the location.

I put my shoulder against the wood and push.

The beam moves while scraping the soil.

“Oh, hey. Hurry, hurry!”

When I was told, I relaxed my strength.

“Right. A little more right.”

Since I understood the language, it was quite convenient for this kind of work.

Carry to the designated location.

From there, it’s the villagers’ job.

Hang the rope, attach it to the pillar, and check the angle.

I don’t know how.

I moved the next piece of wood instead.

“If it’s hard work, it’ll help.”

One of the villagers muttered.

“He can hear it.”

Dario said.

“Ah, I don’t mean that in a bad way.”

I understand.

I snorted.

By the time the sun set, a roof had been built to the side of the storeroom to protect it from the rain.

I can’t say it’s admirable.

The floor is still dirt.

It’s still much better than sleeping outdoors.

The man who had evacuated bowed to me.

“Thank you”

I also bow my head a little.

I never thought that the first construction project I would help with after becoming a dragon would be dragging beams.

It’s not bad.

At night, I lay down a little away from the fence.

A small fire can be seen near the storeroom.

It has not yet been decided whether those eight people will remain in this village.

I just made a place to sleep for the night.

I’ll be hungry tomorrow.

Even in this village, there is no room to feed eight people as much as they want.

I turned my eyes towards the mountain.

There are still quite a few places I haven’t been to yet.

I can’t teach you how to farm, and I don’t have the skills to build a house.

However, it is possible to walk on slopes that are difficult for humans to pass, move large stones and trees, and climb up to high rocky areas to check the surroundings.

If you don’t know what’s out there, go see it first.

It could be water, usable land, or another road leading to the village.

Now that it’s a place to protect, I still don’t know much about the surrounding area.

I thought I’d go a little further up the mountain tomorrow.